Perched at over 2,500 m in the eastern Himalayas, Nyukmadung village in Arunachal Pradesh is home to around 100 households. Here, long before the golden hues of the autumn dawn kiss the mountain peaks, the womenfolk immerse themselves in their daily chores. At sunrise, dressed in specially designed baggy cotton trousers and rubber boots, they climb over 2,700 m to reach the forest, where they forage for a prized fruit, locally known as ‘lissi’ (Illicium griffithii).

Harvesting the fruit is not easy. With trained eyes, the women bend low all day, patiently scanning the forest floor for the brown, star-shaped fruit fallen on the dense foliage. They break only in the afternoon for a warm lunch. The fire is lit using the blue pine chips they carry along specifically for this purpose. The high resin content of blue pine wood allows it to ignite quickly and efficiently. Foraging often continues until dusk.

This daily ritual unfolds every autumn through early winter — from October to December — in nearly all villages of the region. In peak season, villagers even camp at higher altitudes for days.

Globally, star anise is highly valued and cherished for its aromatic essence in cuisines, in pharmaceuticals, perfumery, and more. Research into its health properties have revealed its anti-cancer properties against lung cancer cells and potent antimicrobial activity. It is a key ingredient in producing oseltamivir, an active drug against avian influenza.

A medium-sized evergreen tree, the Himalayan star anise (I. griffithii) is found at elevations between 1,600 m and 3,000 m in subtropical and temperate broad-leaved forests across India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. In India, it is found in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya. However, its trade has largely remained the domain of the Monpa community in West Kameng and (parts of) Tawang districts in Arunachal Pradesh for generations.

Watch: Reviving the culinary heritage of the Monpas

Declining production

Harvested for its seeds, fruits, and timber, I. griffithii is in most demand in West Kameng where Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) contribute 19-32% of the total household income for various communities. It’s a vital alternative income especially for the Brokpas, the herder group among the Monpas, upon their return to lower altitudes during non-herding seasons, with no other means to earn.

While the traditional uses of star anise in the community were varied — such as for flavouring buttermilk tea and alcoholic beverages, as a remedy for cough, toothache and sinusitis — the present generation of Monpas has little memory of it. Due to the lack of local demand, star anise remains inconspicuous in local markets.

However, owing to the huge market outside Arunachal Pradesh, the traders from places like Assam visit the community seasonally for door-to-door collection of the fruit that is harvested, sun-dried and stored. Their arrival is expected by November. This season, however, not enough has been procured (as of January 2025). The small amount sold at a bare minimum price hardly compensates for the hard labour of the gatherers.

“When we were young, lissi was sold for just Rs 3 per kg. Over the years, its price soared to Rs 150, and during the pandemic, when imports were banned, it was sold for Rs 450. After the borders reopened, the demand plummeted,” says Pem Choton (46), adding: “Life in the mountains is harsh. The women particularly toil endlessly, yet for many of us the lissi we sell once a year is our only income, our sole financial contribution to the family. As its demand fades, so does our sense of self-esteem and independence.”

In certain Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam as well as in China, another variety of star anise, Illicium verum, is commercially cultivated. The Indian variety (Illicium griffithii) differs in quality and is considered inferior to I. verum. With Vietnam scaling up production and dominating global trade in recent years, the Indian variety is steadily losing market, depriving the native foragers of a crucial income source.

Conservation efforts

Listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2014, I. griffithii has witnessed a catastrophic decline in the number of trees: over 60% of its population has vanished in the last 84 years. This decline is attributed to excessive seed and fruit collection, indiscriminate tree felling for timber and charcoal, and market marginalisation. “In previous years, each household would collect over 50 kg, but gradually this has declined, and now we barely gather 10-15 kg,” Choton says.

Despite being a sustainable source of livelihood, star anise is yet to be commercially cultivated in the region. However, recognising its economic significance and the urgent need to address its rapid decline, grassroots conservation efforts have been initiated at the village level. In recent years, the felling of trees for timber has been strictly prohibited by many village committees, attracting hefty penalties for the violator. “For instance, in Nyukmadung, the fine can be anywhere between Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000. Additionally, villagers refrain from plucking the fruits directly from the trees; foraging is restricted to collecting only fallen fruits,” says Karchung Monpa, a resident of Nyukmadung. The first farmer known to cultivate star anise commercially, Ngawan Thuten (61) reports a notable variation in harvests, with yields fluctuating every alternate year or every two years.

World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) has been promoting the Community Conserve Area (CCA) Framework, helping communities engage in sustainable harvesting of NTFPs and establishing market linkages to provide better economic incentives for supporting conservation efforts. Over the past two decades, nine CCAs have been established in Arunachal.

“During our survey (to establish CCAs), we learned that in 2022, Nyukmadung village alone harvested six metric tons (MT), but the following year, the yield dropped to around four MT, a substantial two MT variation. On average, the village produces about five MT annually,” informs Kamal Medhi, senior expert on community-based conservation at WWF-India.

In 2024, a new threat to the plants was reported — an unknown pest that stunts the tree growth with some saplings succumbing to it. “For us, star anise is like gold,” says Thuten. “In 2018 I began cultivating lissi on the village community land, hoping to boost my income and set an example for my fellow villagers. After years of failure, the plants have thrived. This year (2024) marks my first harvest. While yield is typically low in the first year, an unknown infestation by a small yellow insect with brown spots, which feeds on the leaves has stunted production,” he rues.

Bridging the trade gap

In 2023-24, India imported 9,215 tonnes of star anise worth approximately Rs 439.09 crores, a steady increase from the 6,606 tonnes imported in 2019-2020.

On the other hand, the domestic star anise trade remains unorganised. Local traders collect the harvest from villagers on the demand of agents and companies from other states. The produce is then transported in truckloads to Assam, where it is sold at a higher price and distributed further.

“Despite strong market demand, the majority is sourced from China and Vietnam. Local production is declining, largely due to a lack of market awareness and an unregulated trading system. Each fruit must be carefully graded and sorted by colour, shape, and size, then securely packaged to prevent it from breaking. But indigenous gatherers are unaware of this grading process, mixing all grades and selling them to middlemen, who then sort and resell it at a higher price,” informs Hirak Jyoti Baishya, deputy manager (Marketing-Bulk) of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) Limited.

“The market price is influenced by China. Last year, we bought from traders in Arunachal at Rs 340-350 but with the Vietnamese variety now priced around Rs 280, the price of the Indian variety has dropped to Rs 220. Traders also have to pay a royalty (Rs 31 per kg) to the state forest department for acquiring transit passes of NTFP, further diminishing the price to Rs 180 for villagers,” Baishya added.

“It is not feasible for the villagers to take the harvest to the trader, mainly due to transportation issues. So we are entirely dependent on the traders and must accept whatever price they offer. There is no local consumption,” Thuten points out. Baishya mentions that while NERAMAC is yet to establish direct ties with the communities, cutting out the middlemen would be a win-win for everyone.

This is where establishing CCAs is crucial. Medhi points out that they have identified four key NTFPs for marketing, with I. griffithii being one of them. “The lack of awareness of the product’s market value is leading to unequal profit distribution. The goal is to bridge this gap by strengthening the Community Conservation Management Committees. These committees can centralise collection, segregation, and packaging to ensure better pricing and equitable benefit-sharing, ultimately institutionalising the marketing process for forest resources. We are seeking a reliable market source to directly procure from the communities,” he shares.

Both WWF-India and NERAMAC emphasise that the intervention of both state and forest department is crucial to address price fluctuations and to maintain a stable supply chain for indigenous gatherers, while generating significant revenue for the state from NTFPs.

Balancing conservation and commerce

Scientist and former director of Coffee Board of India, Vikram Sharma who has worked on the commercial cultivation of star anise, tells Mongabay India that regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Northeast India have significant potential for farming due to their similar geography and favourable climate. He emphasises that commercial production could help India reduce import costs, and aid in protecting the endangered species while supporting indigenous communities in high-altitude regions.

Professor Jagannatha Rao of the Trans Disciplinary University for Health Science and Technology, Bengaluru, however, stresses on conservation while dealing with NTFPs. “The sustainable harvesting of NTFPs, like star anise, presents an economic opportunity for Arunachal’s local communities. It also has export value. But unregulated wild collection threatens biodiversity, making it crucial to balance conservation with economic gains,” he says, adding that to address overharvesting, the species should be integrated into agroforestry models instead of monoculture plantations which pose risks of pests and biodiversity loss. According to him, experiences from Vietnam and other countries highlight that proper drying, sorting, and grading can boost product value. Sustainable policies should prioritise reducing wild collection and enhancing value through community enterprises, supported by training, collaboration, and reinvestment in conservation.