Harvest season of the king of mushrooms

Locals in the hilly areas of Phu Yen have been staying awake at night recently, seeking termite mushrooms dubbed the 'king of mushrooms'.

Termite mushroom - the “king of mushrooms”. Photo: MHN.

The harvest season of the fungus coincides with the rainy seasons. In Phu Yen Province, they can be found in the districts of Song Hinh, Son Hoa and Dong Xuan. This year, they have been growing slowly and abundantly so the fortunate villagers are able to harvest sacks of the wild mushrooms.

It is easier to find termite mushrooms at night. When illuminated, they have the ability to catch light and then automatically emit light. The denser air of the nights also makes it easier to recognize their distinctive scent.

Dozens of stalls have been set up in Hai Rieng town in Song Hinh district, Cung Son town in Son Hoa district and La Hai town in Dong Xuan district, selling the local specialty – termite mushrooms.

“Termite mushrooms only appear once a year so people will definitely secure their purchases when they appear on the market. Prices range from VND 130,000-250,000 (USD 6-11) per kilo. Even those with limited budgets will try to buy at least half a kilo,” said Ms. Tran Thi Dao from Hai Rieng town.

The termite fungus grows once a year in the rainy season. Termitarium can be found underneath the soil where the fungus grows.

Like many other locals, So Thi Lang from Hai Rieng town could harvest sacks of termite mushrooms this year and earn millions of VND.

“I could harvest only a few of the termite mushrooms that were stored in baskets or hats and enough for my family’s consumption in previous years. The fungus has grown in large quantities this rainy season so I have been able to pick up over 6 kilos, which were sold for nearly VND 1 million (USD 44). However that is still a cheap price sold to acquaintances. The whole village have been harvesting termite mushrooms and some could earn up to VND2-3 million,” she said.

Ms. So Thi Linh from Cung Son town in Son Hoa district said that there were a few termite mushroom sellers in the area some years ago but the number has doubled this year. Some of them have been selling bags of mushrooms that could weigh up to 10 kilos.

Another seller, Mr. Tran Van Chung, added that the fungus has also been sold abundantly on Facebook and purchased by customers from as far as Dong Nai, Binh Duong or HCM City.

“They are rare, so families often cook them thoroughly then store them in freezers before being sent away. This method can save the mushrooms to eat months later,” he added.

Night hunt

Phan Van Phuoc, Xuan Phuoc commune, Dong Xuan district, shared the "secret" of finding termite mushrooms: “Termite mushrooms grow hidden in the bushes. When fungi appear, a family of 2 or 3 people will start looking for them. The termite mushroom grows unexpectedly and is hard to see as it is covered by fallen leaves. They can only be discovered by fortunate ones.”

According to him, the mushroom is weak but could turn over small stones to grow up. The new ones can be found in the same places as the previous ones.  

There are many strange stories associated with the hunt for these wild plants. Some villagers spent all night seeking “the king of mushrooms” then saw their neighbours harvest the mushrooms grown in front of their houses. Some could easily find sacks full of mushrooms while others return empty-handed for days.

This year’s prolonged drought has delayed the harvest season of termite mushrooms until the last half of October of the lunar calendar.

It has been chilly and raining heavily in the hilly areas of Dong Xuan district in the past few days so the termite mushrooms have continued to flourish. Their harvest season lasts from the beginning of October to December of the lunar calendar with four or five waves of growth. They can be found along river banks or bushes.

This year’s prolonged drought has detained the harvest season of termite mushrooms until the last half of October of the lunar calendar. However, it has also been a bumper crop for many harvesters as they have been able to earn kilos of the wild mushrooms.

"Termite mushrooms are delicious and nutritious. It has a natural sweet flavor so cooks do not have to add any other spices but salt. I have harvested seasons of termite mushrooms and found that no poisonous kinds could grow among them," said Mrs. Nguyen Thi Huong (Dong Xuan district).