Forest products such as Cordyceps and Shiitake mushrooms have become a popular source of income. But there seems to be many other non-wood forest products fetching almost equally good money.
However, people say proper research on such plants needs to be carried out and also its trade routes identified. Thimphu’s Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT) Chairperson tabled the issue during the recent National Community Forest Conference.
“There are many plants like Dow, Puti-shing, Sewshi Shamu and another mushroom known as cobra shamu fetching more money than shiitake mushrooms,” said Thimphu’s DT Chairperson, Gado.
Many people are also not aware of such plants and even if they are, they lack the knowledge of how and where to sell it.
“Since there are no proper markets identified to sell those plants with high value, people who are smart gather them and export it. So the profit goes to only a few individuals,” added Gado.
His viewpoints were echoed by some other local leaders at the conference. The Department of Forest and Park Services said research was carried out but not in detailed manner.
Today, around 60 non-wood forest products have been listed as available for trade.
“There are certain procedures to collect forest products. One is by converting it to a community forest and the other, by forming a Non-Wood Forest Product Group,” said the Senior Forest Range Officer of forests and park services department, Tshewang Dorji.
The Department of Agriculture Marketing and Cooperatives which is nodal agency for identifying potential markets said recognizing proper trade routes has been affected due to lack of thorough research.
However, it plans to start a new approach called as “Value-Chain Approach,” during the beginning of the 12th Five Year Plan.
The approach will need involvement of all concerned agencies and they will work together from production to marketing of the products.
