Wild mushrooms add to families kitty in Ukhrul
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, June 30 2025: The monsoon season has once again brought a rich harvest of wild mushrooms across the Ukhrul district, providing much-needed supplementary income for many families during the lean period.

Foraging for wild mushrooms is a widespread tradition in the region during the rainy season, as different varieties of mushrooms begin to sprout naturally across forested areas.

This year, the first premonsoon shower was marked by the appearance of the wild mushroom locally known as Lengphong (Uyen/Wild Shiitake), which sold at Rs 250 per kg in the local market The peak harvesting season stretches from the second week of June to September.

However, by October, only a few varieties like the Tharavar continue to be found.

A local farmer, M Vasha shared that he harvested over 80 kg of wild mushrooms this year, earning approximately around Rs 12000, with prices being sold at Rs 150 per kg during the month of June.

He said that wild mushrooms served as one of the main kitchen ingredient/menu during lean season while some families preferred to consume of wild edible fungi works as dietary supplements during times of food shortage and is still an integral part of the Tangkhul community Ukhrul is well known for its variety of wild edible mushrooms, including shiitake, termitomyces (Narin Chenggum), Auricularia auricula, and others like Chiphungvar, Varlang, Sheishovar, Mahaivar, Chinaivar, Ngaleithei, Vamgok, and Varsak.

These mushrooms are typically found growing in the forested mountain slopes during the rainy season, often into the second week of June till September.

The region's temperate climate, with temperatures ranging around 30 degree Celsius and soil types ranging from from laterite to sandy loam, provides favourable conditions for mushroom sprouting.

The people of Ukhrul believe in a unique cultural tradition-that if the person who dies first in the beginning of the year is a generous giver with a good moral character, the community will be blessed with a bumper harvest of wild mushrooms for the year.

The same year women and children will go out to collect edible fungi from the surrounding forest for consumption as well as to sell the excess harvest in local markets as a good source of income for our livelihood.

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