Sundew harvest falls short as Oulu 4H seeks more pickers

Oulu 4H, an association that buys round-leaved sundew, purchased about 400 kilograms in northern Finland this summer, only half its target, Yle reports. Despite the price rising to 60 euros per kilogram, the association says it is struggling to find enough pickers.

One successful picker was Ismo Pentti from Ii, who collected 10 kilograms and earned 600 euros. He plans to use the money to help pay his electricity bills this winter.

At a receiving point in Kempele, Pentti weighed 1.8 kilograms of cleaned sundew after spending six hours walking through a bog. The delicate carnivorous plant must be collected in considerable quantities before a kilogram is reached.

Oulu 4H has been involved in the sundew trade since the 1970s. It sells the plants to Central Europe as raw material for pharmaceutical and natural health products. One buyer is the Swiss herbal products manufacturer Vogel.

Tommi Parkatti, an instructor at Oulu 4H, said demand for sundew was strong and that its value appeared to be increasing because the plant collected in the region was of good quality. The price paid to pickers has risen by 10 euros per kilogram from last year.

The association said its most diligent pickers had earned substantial sums, but it was concerned that the group of pickers was ageing. It hopes more young people will take up the work next summer.

Experienced pickers could teach younger people collection techniques and share advice about suitable picking locations, Parkatti said.

Permission required for collection

Round-leaved sundew is a small carnivorous plant that grows to between 5 and 20 centimetres tall. It grows in wet places, particularly bogs, and is collected with its roots, meaning permission from the landowner is required.

The plant must be kept cold throughout the process. According to Parkatti, it can be stored in a refrigerator for one to three days before it must be frozen.

Pentti first collected sundew in the 1990s. After a break lasting several decades, he returned to the bogs, motivated not only by the money but also by the chance to spend time in nature.

He said he would definitely continue collecting sundew next summer.