GI tag for Gucchi mushroom

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Context

Recently, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir sought GI tag for Gucchi mushroom. The Gucchi mushrooms are highly expensive and are full of health benefits. The cost of 500 grams of Gucchi mushrooms is Rs 18,000.

About Gucchi mushroom

• Gucchi mushroom is a fungus species belonging to the family Morchellaceaeof the Ascomycota. 

• They are pale yellow in colour with large ridges and pits on their cap. They're raised on a large white stem.

• The Gucchi mushrooms are locally called “Thuntoo”.

• They are referred to as “May Mushrooms” in North America.

• The Gucchi mushrooms prefer soil with limestone base. They also grow in acid soils. The Gucchi mushrooms are usually found in early spring.

• Gucchi mushroom is a forest produce collected by local farmers and tribals. 

• It is said to have medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties.

• The Gucchi mushrooms are rich in vitamins, potassium and copper. They are also rich in Vitamin-D.

• Gucchi mushrooms are rich in antioxidants that prevent health issues such as heart diseases and diabetes.

Why are Gucchi mushrooms Expensive?

The Gucchi mushrooms cannot be cultivated commercially. They grow in the conifer forests of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. It takes several months for the villagers to gather these mushrooms, dry them and bring them to the market. The Gucchi mushrooms grow in clusters on logs of decaying wood, humus soil and leaves. They may not grow in the same spot the next season. This makes the process of collection more tedious. Because of these reasons, the Gucchi mushrooms are highly expensive.

The Guchhi mushrooms cannot be cultivated commercially because of their nature of germination. They germinate and grow in low temperature soil. Usually, they appear after the fires. The fruiting of Gucchi mushrooms requires alkaline conditions produced by wood ash mixed with water. These criteria make commercial cultivation of Gucchi highly difficult.