CHITRAL: The collection of black morels in the highland pastures and forests has started proving to be a substantial source of earning for the people in different valleys of both Upper and Lower Chitral districts whose price has surged as high as Rs14,000 per kg.

A dealer of mushrooms in Shahi Bazaar, Haji Wali Khan, told this correspondent that due to the heavy rainfall in winter and early spring season the morels produce this time was much higher than the preceding years.

He said that many unemployed youth had taken it as full-fledged job these days and were earning a handsome amount of money ranging from Rs3,000 to 4,500 while on holidays.

Morel is the species of edible fungi which is valued highly due to its nutritional worth and it grows naturally in bulk quantity in different areas of the district, providing one of the major sources of sustenance for thousands of families who collected it in the forest.

The harvesting season starts from April and lasts for two months during which the village people throng the forest and highland pastures to collect mushrooms which they sold in the local market in fresh form.

Another merchant of Shahi Bazaar, Bashir Hussain, said that black morels of Chitral had been popular in the past when the former rulers of Chitral collected the same through their subjects and sent as gift to the rulers of different princely states.

He said that apart from Kalash valleys, the Shishi Koh, Molen Gol, Uchest Gol, Shali Gol, Golen Gol, Koughazi Gol, Asherat, Beori, Jughoor Gol, Gahrate Gol areas were known for supporting the species.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2019