No exemption for early and illegal cordyceps collection, says PM

2026-03-25 - 10:31

As the cordyceps season nears, the Prime Minister has raised concerns over early collection and illegal entry into other areas. He added that early collection has been reported, along with incidents of trespassing and disputes among farmers. So far, offenders have not faced significant penalties. However, the Prime Minister announced today that anyone found violating the rules will be dealt with under the law, without exception. The Prime Minister directed Dzongda and Gups to take accountability for monitoring the collection. Local leaders have been asked to prepare lists of households that have already left or are planning to leave for collection. The Prime Minister added that a verification will be conducted to cross-check the lists against the records provided by local authorities. Any discrepancies could lead to action against local leaders. “There is an existing ACT governing the collection of cordyceps, with clear rules and regulations. Any collection through corrupt practices is punishable under the law. First, it is important to raise awareness about these rules. To achieve this, the Home Ministry and its departments will conduct meetings in the concerned gewogs to inform people about the do’s and don’ts, as well as the penalties for violations.” Communities are being urged to play a direct role in monitoring. Residents have been asked to document any instances of trespassing. These reports will be forwarded to the police for verification and follow-up. To encourage reporting, the government will reward individuals who provide information anonymously. The Prime Minister stressed that deploying the army is not the solution, highlighting that community vigilance and accountability are key to ensuring a safe and sustainable harvest. In line with this, the Department of Forest and Park Services has been instructed to install cameras along collection routes to monitor activity during the harvest season. Cordyceps collection in the country usually starts around May and lasts for a month. The Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations 2023 allow people to collect during this period, excluding travel time, and only within their own gewog. Samten Dolkar Edited by Sonam Pem