Largest Cordyceps sinensis market in Tibet to open
The Meibang Cordyceps sinensis Market located at the Economic and Technological Development Zone in Lhasa is under construction and is expected to start business officially in this June after finishing construction in May, sources from departments concerned on March 9. It is estimated that 10 tons of cordyceps sinensis will be dealt in the market with the turnover of 1 billion yuan every year. And more than 350 job opportunities will be offered when the market opens.
According to professionals, the annual trading volume of Cordyceps sinensis in Tibet ranges from 40 to 50 tons and the Meibang Cordyceps Sinensis Market with the annual trading volume of 10 tons has great potential. This market will also increase rural people's income and boost the standardization of Tibet's markets as strict measures will be taken for quality control and price monitoring after the Meibang Cordyceps Sinensis Market becomes operational.
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Here a picture of the old Yartsa gunbu market before the mosque in Lhasa
The Lhasa Yartsa gunbu market is dominated by Hui, Chinese muslims [wearing straw hats or white caps], many of them immigrated from Gansu and Ningxia. Their tight-knit community is of great advantage in this trade, since it requires access to big amounts of cash. Many buyers buy on commisson for the big brokers or borough cash from these brokers for transactions. Most of the yarsta gunbu is sold to Chinese lowland phyto-pharmaceutical companies and the Tibet AR government. The TAR government uses Cordyceps as present for official guests or as Losar / New Years present for government officials. Most of the sellers i observed over the years here are Tibetans. Photo June 2006, Daniel Winkler