December 28: Nepal exported yarsagumba, a prized medicinal herb with aphrodisiac property, worth more than Rs 550 million in five months of the current fiscal year. According to the data of the Department of Customs, the country exported yarsagumba worth Rs 553.7 million to various countries from mid-July to mid-December this year.

According to the department, Nepal exported 1,083 kilograms of yarsagumba during the review period. During the same period of last year, Nepal had exported 453 kg of yarsagumba worth Rs 278.14 million. This year, yarsagumba exports increased by 99 percent in value and 139 percent in volume compared to the corresponding period of last year.

During these five months, yarsagumba has been exported from Nepal to Australia, Austria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam, according to the Department of Customs.

During this period, the earned the maximum amount from export of yarsagumba to Hong Kong. A total of 380 kilograms of yarsagumba worth Rs 249.8 million were exported to Hong Kong.

China topped the list of countries in terms of volume of exports of yarsagumba. During the review period, Nepal exported 477 kilograms of yarsagumba worth Rs 204.2 million to China. Similarly, 127 kg of yarsagumba worth Rs 34.6 million were exported to Vietnam.