Matsutake mushrooms, once gathered largely for household consumption in Genye Gewog, have emerged as an important source of income for local farmers, with rising prices and expanding overseas markets strengthening the trade.
This year, exporters have agreed to purchase Grade A matsutake at Nu 2,000 per kilogramme and Grade B at Nu 1,700 per kilogramme, both higher than last year. However, collectors say selling directly to customers, particularly during the annual Matsutake Festival, can fetch prices of around Nu 3,000 per kilogramme.
For farmers in Genye, the commercial value attached to the mushroom today is a striking departure from the past.
Sixty-nine-year-old Namgay from Tshochekha remembers a time when matsutake fetched just Nu 5 per kilogramme and there was little interest in buying it. The mushroom had been collected in the forests since his parents’ generation, but primarily for consumption at home.
“Matsutake has existed since the time of our parents. We never thought of selling it,” Namgay says. “I took the mushroom to Wangchuktaba on my horse. When I took it there, no one was willing to buy it because they thought it might be poisonous.”
Decades later, matsutake has become one of Namgay’s most valuable sources of income. He earned about Nu 300,000 from the mushroom in 2024 and around Nu 400,000 last year, placing him among the community’s highest earners from matsutake collection.
The additional income has also brought tangible changes to households in the gewog.
“In Genye Gewog, people’s livelihoods have improved through matsutake,” Namgay says. “We have used the income to buy roofs, as well as food and other household items. We depend on this source of income, and it has made our lives more convenient.”
Growing commercial interest in matsutake is also reflected in the number of exporters entering the trade. From three exporters last year, the number has increased to seven this year.
Japan continues to be an established destination for Bhutanese matsutake, while exporters are also exploring markets in Korea and Singapore.
Tshering Wangchuk, manager of Padma Gourmet and Foods, says his company will continue exporting to Japan, where it has an established importer.
“Till last year, two of our friends used to export to Japan, and we also exported to Japan,” he says. “This year, there are seven exporters in total, and some of them say they are exporting to Korea as well. Some of them say they will be sending mushrooms to Singapore as well.”
Despite higher prices offered by exporters, some collectors are finding better returns closer to home.
The annual Matsutake Festival provides farmers with an opportunity to sell directly to visitors and buyers who are willing to pay a premium for good-quality, well-preserved mushrooms. Prices during the festival can reach around Nu 3,000 per kilogramme.
Farmer Tandin Dorji says the festival offers attractive prices, although selling through local Tshogpa members remains more convenient for collectors during the regular season.
“During the annual Matsutake Festival, prices tend to increase, and buyers are willing to pay more for well-preserved mushrooms,” Tandin says. “In terms of convenience, it is easier for us to sell to Tshogpa members because mushroom collectors usually collect the mushrooms in the morning and sell them in the evening.”
The growth of the matsutake trade has turned a traditionally gathered forest mushroom into an increasingly important part of Genye’s rural economy. With prices rising, more exporters entering the business and markets expanding beyond Bhutan, farmers now have more avenues to earn from a resource that has grown naturally in their forests for generations.
