Calls have been made for a boycott of “premature” cordycep grass by the Qinghai Provincial Cordyceps Association and the Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science on April 17 as a small amount of unformed and immature cordycep grass has been found enter the current cordyceps market.

Cordyceps is mainly produced in highly cold regions over 4,000 meters above sea level. Cordyceps produced in Qinghai accounts for 60 percent of China’s total production, and the quantity and quality of cordycep are among the best in China.

“In some areas of eastern Qinghai, because of the low altitude and warmer temperature, a small amount of cordyceps matures about 15 days earlier than those in higher-altitude areas,” Yao Xiaobao, secretary general of the Qinghai Provincial Cordyceps Association, said. “Right now, we have not yet entered the normal cordyceps excavation season, but individual sellers are trying to make a profit by excavating immature cordyceps. The Qinghai Province Grassland Inspection Station and Qinghai Provincial Cordyceps Association have identified these activities and are managing putting a stop to them.”

According to Li Yuling, director of the Cordyceps Research Room at the Grassland Institute of the Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, unformed cordyceps grass is unhealthy and “premature”. There is no big difference in the outward appearance of immature cordyceps, however, due to premature excavation, the cordyceps has not accumulated effective substances yet. 

Yao Xiaobao said that according to technical requirements for excavating cordyceps, different cordyceps regions at different altitudes have their own strict rules about when cordyceps can be excavated, and it is not true that the sooner they are picked, the better they are.

Cordyceps are divided into low-altitude and high-altitude varieties. Low-altitude cordyceps have smaller heads and are usually picked around mid to late April. Cordyceps picked in high-altitude regions, for example, Golog and Yushu Prefectures in Qinghai, have larger heads and plump bodies and are picked around mid to late May.

“Picking cordyceps outside of the normal season and finding cordyceps seeds underground to dig up is essentially robbing the cordyceps resources,” Li Yuling said. “This kind of short-sighted, profit-seeking practice will affect the healthy development of the entire cordyceps industry.”