Sankhuwasabha The Makalu-Barun National Park is to open the collection of precious herb Yarsagumba from June 7. Information Officer at the CNP, Sanskar Subedi, said the park has granted permission to collect Yarsagumba for a month from June 10.

According to him, two types of yarsa are found in the national park area. The National Park Office Hedangnadhi, Hatiya Sector Office Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-3, Seduwa Sector Office Makalu-2, Gola Post Bhotkhola-4, Tamku Sector Office Silichong-3, Bung Sector Office Mahakulung-1 Bung, Solukhumbu and Cheskam Repeatpost Mahakulung-3 Solukhumbu were among the places to collect Yarsagumba.

Individuals and groups with permission can collect yarsagumba from June 9 to July 9. Information Officer Subedi said that permission has been given to collect permits, first aid materials and medicines, gas or stove for cooking, tarpaulin sheets and other materials while collecting Yarsagumba. Materials like explosives, khukuri, knives, rope, noose, spear, slingshot, loudspeaker and drumset are prohibited for collecting Yarsagumba.

Yarsagumba is found in Makalu rural municipality, Bhotkhola and Silichong rural municipalities and Makalu Barun National Park in Mahakulung rural municipality of Solukhumbu district. Yarsagumba is the major source of income for the people of high mountainous region. The locals have been collecting resources for the household expenses and education of their children by selling the collected Yarsagumba.

According to Makalu Barun National Park, the entry fee for the collection of Yarsagumba has been fixed at Rs 500 for the locals inside the buffer zone, Rs 2,000 for the visitors to Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu outside the buffer zone and Rs 3,000 for those outside the district.

In the past years, the park has been collecting over Rs 5 million annually from Yarsagumba. According to traders, the number one Yarsagumba used to sell for Rs 4 million per kg on the basis of quality, but it is sold at Rs 550,000 to Rs 7.5 lakh. The Yarsa collected in this way is mostly exported to Tibet and Kathmandu of China. Makalu-Barun National Park is spread over 1,500 square kilometres in Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu.