Keonjhar,18th July 2025: The forests of Keonjhar district are rich in various forest produce, with wild mushrooms being one of the most sought-after during the monsoon. With the onset of rains, different varieties of mushrooms have started sprouting in the jungles.
Tribal communities are collecting these mushrooms and selling them by the roadside in Keonjhar town. Among all varieties, Bihuduni and Balichhatu mushrooms are in high demand. Despite prices reaching thousands of rupees per kilogram, people are thronging to buy them.
As the monsoon season progresses, species like Bihuduni, Balichhatu, and Patrachhatu have started growing in abundance. Due to their delicious taste, people show great interest in consuming them. This year, mushroom prices have skyrocketed. Tribal collectors wander the forests gathering mushrooms, and after keeping a portion for personal consumption, they bring the surplus to sell in Keonjhar town.
As soon as the tribal women arrive in town with mushrooms in various vehicles, traders rush to buy from them. They purchase Patrachhatu mushrooms for Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per kg from the tribals and then sell it in the market for Rs. 400 to Rs. 500 per kg. Compared to previous years, this year’s mushroom prices have seen a significant and unnecessary increase.
Due to continuous rain, the dry leaves in the forest have begun to decay, creating a favorable environment for mushroom growth. If the rain continues, more mushrooms are expected to reach the market soon. Highly flavorful mushrooms like Bihuduni and Balichhatu are already available, with prices ranging from Rs. 800 to Rs. 1000 per kg.
Tribal women say that more mushrooms will likely be available in the coming days. On the other hand, consumers point out that in earlier times, tribal sellers used to split the mushrooms into portions and sell them in Sal leaf pouches. Now, Bihari traders have entered the market, buying mushrooms in bulk from the tribals and selling them by weight. As a result, fewer tribal women are seen selling mushrooms in the market. This has led to higher prices, complain the buyers.