‘Olmi' season ends with low sales and uncertain future for vendors

Time of India

30-07-2025

Nida.Sayed
Panaji:
The monsoon in Goa brings with it the much-anticipated olmi, the rare and prized wild mushroom that grows under termite mounds in the state's forested areas. For generations, this earthy delicacy has supported livelihoods, especially for rural women who harvest and sell it.
But this year, the joy soured.
As the season drew to an early close, vendors from Banastarim and Canacona, who sell this edible fungi in Panaji, grappled with a sharp decline in sales. This season saw a steep spike in prices, starting at Rs 700 per portion (approximately 50 mushrooms), pricing out many regular buyers.
'Earlier, office-goers, lawyers, and residents would flock to us and buy two or three portions without bargaining much,' said Taramuti Kunkolkar, a veteran mushroom seller from Banastarim.
'But this year, customers just walk by. Even after reducing prices to Rs 550 or Rs 600, they still don't buy. We have to return home with nearly 50% of the mushrooms in tow.'
Olmi's rarity and foraging process have always commanded a higher price tag, but inflation and shrinking incomes have made it less accessible. However, the price was only part of the problem. The real shock came with the shifting of the District and Sessions Court from its historic location in the heart of Panaji to the suburban locality of Merces.
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For decades, the sidewalk outside the Panaji court was an unofficial but thriving marketplace for seasonal goods. Mushroom vendors — mostly elderly women from Banastarim, Sattari, and Ponda — counted on the steady flow of litigants, lawyers, and passers-by.
'The court moving to Merces has destroyed our business,' said Lila Kankonkar, another vendor.
Adding to the sellers' troubles is an emerging conservation narrative. As awareness grows about the ecological importance of wild mushrooms, particularly their role in maintaining soil health and forest biodiversity, voices advocating for responsible foraging and conservation have grown louder.
Earlier this month, the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) warned against the overexploitation of these edible mushrooms, appealing not to encourage the sale and consumption.