THE price of cordyceps fungus, Sheepadee (Ophiocordyceps sinensis), one of the world’s most valuable natural medicinal fungi found in the snow-capped mountains of northern Myanmar, is high in the market due to increasing scarcity and strong demand, according to the Myitkyina Sheepadee market.
Sheepadee in Myanmar grows at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, like the snow-capped Tibetan Plateau, Khakaborazi National Park, Hponkanrazi and Gamlangrazi, Kachin State. The locals usually search for the fungus from May to July, when the snow begins to melt, spending weeks on mountain grasslands and rocky slopes while enduring harsh weather conditions.
Sheepadee has been used to boost the immune system, reduce fatigue, improve the respiratory system, support kidney and liver function, and serve as a natural energy tonic. Research is still ongoing to establish stronger scientific evidence for its effectiveness as a medicinal supplement in disease treatment.
“Searching for Sheepadee on freezing snow mountains is a daily challenge for people like us who live in the highlands. There are many days when we spend the entire day kneeling in the snow without finding a single piece. To collect one tiny Sheepadee, barely the size of a needle, we have to dig through ice. We must constantly watch out for strong icy winds and poor visibility. Although it is a valuable medicinal product for consumers, it represents our family’s livelihood, our future dreams and the daily struggle behind life in the snow mountains. The higher the price, the harder it becomes to find. We can earn more by selling it in Myitkyina. However, we usually sell it in PutaO because we want to return to the mountains again before the end of July,” said U Wam Di, a Sheepadee hunter.
Sheepadee is a rare medicinal organism formed when a parasitic fungus grows inside the larva of a caterpillar. Demand has remained strong in both Myanmar and China this year. Prices vary depending on harvest volume, market conditions and quality. Transactions are generally negotiated between collectors, brokers and buyers based on quality. Last year, it sold for between K5,000 and K7,000 per piece in the PutaO market, while prices reached up to K10,000 per piece in Myitkyina. In China’s market, prices range from more than US$20,000 to over US$30,000 per kilogramme, depending on the place of origin, size, drying quality and authenticity.
As demand continues to rise, counterfeit Sheepadee has also become more common. Genuine Sheepadee consists of a caterpillar body naturally attached to a single fungal stalk (stroma), with clearly visible body segments and a single stalk that tapers toward the tip. Counterfeit ones are often made by attaching artificial caterpillar-shaped materials to mushrooms, appear unnaturally uniform, and are frequently dyed to produce overly bright colours. Authentic specimens have pale yellowish-brown to brown caterpillar bodies and dark brown fungal stalks. Genuine caterpillar fungus also has a natural earthy and mushroom-like aroma, whereas counterfeit products may emit chemical or glue-like odours.
China remains the world’s largest market for caterpillar fungus, with demand remaining particularly strong this season. The continued price increase is attributed to the growing scarcity of the fungus in Myanmar’s snow-capped mountain regions, its widespread use in traditional Chinese medicine, its popularity as a premium gift and its increasing consumption as a health supplement. — Thitsa (MNA)/KTZH
