With reference to “Gucchi” sometimes mentioned in the news, consider the following statements:
- 1. It is a fungus.
- 2. It grows in some Himalayan forest areas.
- 3. It is commercially cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 only
3 only
1 and 2
2 and 3
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2022
Statement 2 is correct. Gucchi is a highly valued edible fungus that grows wild in certain Himalayan forest areas, particularly in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, usually after the snow melts.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Gucchi is extremely difficult to cultivate commercially due to its complex growth cycle, which is not fully understood. It is primarily collected from the wild, making it expensive and rare. While research into its cultivation is ongoing, it is not commercially cultivated on a significant scale, especially not widely in the Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India (which is less known for Gucchi compared to the western Himalayas).