Rugda: rare wild mushroom sells for up to ₹3,000/kg

Rugda mushroom (Astraeus hygrometricus), also called putu, boda, or rugra, is a rare wild mushroom from eastern India nicknamed 'vegetarian mutton'.

It is found only in monsoon season (late June to early September) in sal forests of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and parts of West Bengal.

Rugda cannot be farmed due to its ectomycorrhizal relationship with sal tree roots; every mushroom sold is hand-foraged by indigenous communities (Munda, Ho, Oraon, Santhal, Kharia).

Prices range from ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 per kilogram, with higher rates in years of poor rainfall.

Instagram recipe videos featuring rugda have attracted millions of views, introducing the seasonal delicacy to a wider audience.