The residents of Chhamkhar in Bumthang are all smiles with the opening of a new vegetable market shed in the town yesterday. The shed was opened following complaints from the public and local leaders in the last Dzongkhag Tshogdu about the vegetables being priced heavily at the old market.
The new shed is solely for use by farmers of the four gewogs in the dzongkhag.
At the old market, the vegetables bought from farmers in other districts resulting in higher prices. There are about 20 vendors from various districts in the old market.
“All of us in the old market buy vegetables from other dzongkhags such as Monggar and Punakha. We charge the vegetables depending upon the amount we pay to the farmers at the source,” Kinzang Lhamo, one of the vegetable vendors, said.
“If farmers of Bumthang grow all the types of vegetables, we won’t have to buy them from other dzongkhags and we would be able to sell at lower prices,” Kuengzang Choden, another vegetable vendor, said.
In the new market, the vendors are all farmers who bring vegetables straight from their gardens.
“As a strategy to stabilize the price of vegetables, we thought this was the best alternative because the buyers can come directly here and buy from the farmers,” Passang, the Bumthang Dzongda, said.
The new shed lies opposite the old market and vegetables are sold at a comparatively lower price.
For instance, a kilogram of potato is sold at Nu 25 as opposed to Nu 50 to 60 at the old market. A kilogram of beans costs Nu 50 in the new market, while the old vendors charge Nu 200.
“This new facility will be really beneficial for us. If we get to buy local vegetables every Sunday, our expenditure will be reduced drastically,” Dramu, a buyer, said.
“Even if we have vegetable farmers’ groups in our gewog, it’s difficult to sell our farm produce due to the lack of a market. This new shed, which is dedicated to the rural vendors, is a very good initiative,” Yeshey Dorji from Chummig said.
But there are concerns as well.
“If all the farmers who want to sell their vegetables come here, it will be difficult to accommodate everyone,” Sherub Phuntsho, a vendor from Ura said.
“Also, we worry about transportation. Right now, as a temporary measure, we are given free transportation service by gups in their duty vehicles (Boleros), but we are hopeful that a permanent solution would come up as we don’t have enough taxis coming all the way here.”
The Dzongkhag Administration is planning to start a bus service at the earliest possible.
“The Gewog Administrations have agreed to provide transportation services to the farmers until they get used to the new market here and all the procedures involved in selling their produce,” Jampel, the Chairperson of DT, said.
After a successful opening, only time will tell if the new market sustains and the Dzongkhag Administration’s goal of bringing down the price of vegetables in the dzongkhag succeeds.
