If everything goes as planned, world’s most rare and expensive fungi ‘caterpillar fungus’ would bring economic prosperity to high altitude village dwellers of Uttarakhand.







Uttarakhand Forest Department has in principle decided to conduct satellite resource mapping and ground surveys of locations where rare medicinal fungi ‘Keeda Jadi’ is believed to be found. The plan is to provide economic benefits to the high-altitude mountain residents by harvesting Keeda Jadi.







Keeda Jadi is found at an altitude of 3,500 meters and largely sourced by mafias and black marketeers from oblivious villagers who are forced to sell their harvest at throwaway prices. It is estimated that a kilo of Keeda Jadi is sold for ₹ 20 lakh in the international markets.







The department, way back in 2018, tried to to regulate the collection, marketing, and royalty of keeda jadi for the benefit of hill villagers but due to lacunae in the policy villagers, therefore, remained at loss so far.







The department wants to pass on benefit of the nature’s bounty to the hill dwellers who live in extremely adverse weather and climatic conditions.







Keeda jadi known for its life saving and aphrodisiac properties. It is used on Chinese and Tibetan medicines and reported to cure lungs, kidneys and liver ailments. It also contained various micro-nutrients, peptides and vitamin B1, B2, B12. Keeda Jadi works as natural steroids for athletes that could escape detection even in doping tests.







Satellite imagery and data about presence, production and commercial scope will provide the department a clearer vision about future prospects for the local people. The department wants to build and institutionalise a mechanism for commercial production of this rare herbal products involving local people.







Himalayan Live Bureau

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