In Kamphaeng Phet, 'Hed Pho' mushrooms have appeared, with people eagerly buying them for cooking despite the high price of 700-800 baht per kilogram, because they are quite rare.
On 8 June 2026 GMT+7, reporters observed that the 'Hed Pho' season has returned. At the Kamphaeng Phet shopping center market, vendors have filled the stalls with Hed Pho mushrooms. This is because it is the season when villagers go out to collect these mushrooms buried underground in the forest and gather them to sell to middlemen, who then bring them to markets.
When asked, a vendor revealed that at this early stage, Hed Pho mushrooms are still very expensive since they have just appeared. They are bought in barrels at prices between 5,500 and 6,000 baht. Therefore, retail prices are 200 baht for a small liter container and 400 baht for a large liter. For sales by weight, the price is 700-800 baht per kilogram. Despite the high price, there is still strong customer demand.
The reason for the high price is that Hed Pho mushrooms appear only once a year during a specific season and grow exclusively in forest areas. They grow underground, so those who search for them need tools like spoons to gently scrape the soil. Finding even a single mushroom is rare and difficult. This scarcity drives the high price, especially in years of severe drought, when Hed Pho mushrooms become even rarer and more expensive. Their season runs from May to June, coinciding with the rainy period.
Hed Pho mushrooms can be used in dishes such as spicy Hed Pho curry with sweet bamboo shoots, cha-om shoots, and wild vegetables, which are also in season now. When eaten, the mushroom bursts in the mouth with a popping sound, releasing its juices that emit a fragrant sweetness. This characteristic is why they are called 'Hed Pho,' meaning 'popping mushroom.'
At a ready-made food stall inside the market, it was found that the shop sells 5 to 6 curry dishes daily. Currently, the main dish is Hed Pho curry with fresh bamboo shoots. This dish is prepared in quantities at least twice that of other dishes to meet demand. Almost every customer chooses the Hed Pho curry, making it sell out before other dishes. Initially, when the mushrooms first appeared, the curry sold for 200 baht per bag, but customers were willing to pay. Now that more Hed Pho mushrooms are available, the price has dropped to 100 baht per bag.
