35 Tibetans Arrested Amid Caterpillar Fungus Price Crash

Chinese authorities in Tibet arrested 35 individuals in Tengchen County on May 12 for harvesting caterpillar fungus without a mandatory permit. The whereabouts of those detained remain unknown. This valuable fungus serves as a critical income source for local Tibetans, but the government has recently enforced strict permit requirements involving extensive documentation and fees. Harvesting is tightly regulated across administrative borders between mid-May and late June. The arrests occur alongside a devastating economic blow for the region, as fungus prices have plummeted to their lowest levels in six years, dropping from 35 yuan to just 9 yuan per specimen.