Tibetan grass worms 2.2 billion/kg, a Tet gift as expensive as an apartment

To buy 1kg of premium Tibetan cordyceps (grass worms) as a Tet gift, many people have to spend up to 2.2 billion VND and order a year in advance.

Among the types of Cordyceps, Tibetan Cordyceps, also known as grass worms (half animal half plant), is considered a natural “panacea” with the best quality. Because the Tibetan region has an altitude of about 4,500-6,000m above sea level, the average annual temperature is 0-3 degrees Celsius, very few people live there, the natural environment is not polluted, which is the ideal condition for Cordyceps to produce optimal quality.

Therefore, this type of grass worm originating from Tibet is sought after by the rich, even though it is more expensive than pure gold.

In Vietnam, Cordyceps sinensis usually costs around 100 - 500 million VND/kg depending on the type. For Tibetan Cordyceps sinensis, the lowest price is around 700 million VND/kg and the most expensive type is up to 2.2 billion VND/kg - equivalent to an apartment.

Many people spend billions to order Tibetan cordyceps as Tet gifts.

Ms. Duong Cam Tu, a cordyceps seller in District 1 (HCMC) said that Tibetan cordyceps is sought after by many people, so it is scarce. Especially, near Tet, the goods are even scarcer because the demand for buying them as Tet gifts increases.

According to Ms. Duong, the cheapest Tibetan Cordyceps D type costs 7 million VND/10g (from 60-65 worms), type C costs 8.5 million VND/10g (from 50-55 worms), type B costs 10 million VND/10g (about 40 worms), type A costs 12 million VND/10g (about 26-30 worms), VIP type costs 16 million VND/10g (22-25 worms) equivalent to 1.6 billion VND/kg. The premium type costs 22 million VND/10g (18-20 worms), or about 2.2 billion VND/kg.

“Now I only have A, B, C, D grade grass worms. As for VIP and premium grades, I have closed the order and will no longer accept orders.” She shared that normally, customers who buy cordyceps only choose to buy mid-range products, which cost less than 1.2 billion VND/kg and each time they buy only a few dozen grams to less than 1 tael. These types are available at the store, customers do not need to order in advance.

However, with VIP and premium grass worms, this is a selected product, very rare, rich customers may not be able to buy it. Vietnamese tycoons who want to buy it usually have to order in advance, when the product is available, I will let you know.

Pointing to her cordyceps, Ms. Duong said that these 2.5kg of cordyceps are all premium quality, priced at VND2.2 billion/kg. 6 customers have ordered this as Tet gifts. They had to order a whole year in advance to get enough stock to pay.

Not only do you have to order 6 months to 1 year in advance, Mr. Nguyen Tran Cong in Ho Chi Minh City shared that with Tibetan cordyceps from grade A (22 - 30 pieces/10g) to premium products, customers must pay 100% of the product price in advance.

Mr. Cong said that premium goods are often rare, each time the quantity is only about 100 cordyceps of this type, sometimes even not even one can be hunted. Therefore, customers who order large quantities (several ounces) must deposit money in advance so that he can collect and hold enough goods.

“This year, customers can even schedule a delivery date because I know many sources, so it’s easier to get high-quality goods. In previous years, customers who ordered high-quality goods only dared to tell them when they had the goods,” he said.

This type of grass worm originating from Tibet is sought after by the rich, even though it is more expensive than pure gold... Although there are many fake cordyceps on the market, you need to be very careful when buying.

According to documents consulted by doctors from the Department of Traditional Medicine, Hospital 108, Cordyceps is a precious medicine.

According to Oriental medicine, this rare medicinal herb, Cordyceps, is sweet, neutral, nourishes the lungs and kidneys, has the effect of stopping bleeding, reducing phlegm, eliminating prolonged coughs, asthma, and treating back and knee pain. According to Western medicine, Cordyceps contains Cordycepin and many other nutritional ingredients.

Studies have also shown that this herb has the effect of inhibiting the growth of many types of bacteria. In particular, cordycepic acid accounts for about 7% of the Cordyceps, which is being studied by scientists to apply in cancer treatment.

Despite its rich pharmacology, doctors say: "This is not a panacea. Up to now, there has not been any panacea; any medicine can only cure certain diseases. We need to be wary of deification to push up prices."

Industry experts also warn that Tibetan Cordyceps is very rare, while demand is increasing. Therefore, there are many fake Cordyceps on the market, so be very careful when buying.

According to experts, although it has good medicinal properties, you should not rely too much on Cordyceps. The best way to protect your health is to eat scientifically, exercise regularly... When you are sick, you can use Cordyceps to improve your health with a dose of 2-3 worms/time by steaming or steeping in boiling water to drink.

According to VNN