Thrimshing Gewog of Trashigang has a potential to become a major producer of flattened maize, or Tengma as it is known in the local dialect. But lack of market remains a major impediment to realising this potential.
Maize grows in abundance in the gewog with some of the people cultivating the crop twice a year.
However, due to the lack of market, the people have shown less interest in taking up Tengma production on commercial scale.
The gewog set up a grinding machine in 2012 at Phegpari village to boost Tengma production.
Jangchub Pelzang operates the machine. He says only a few people come to use the machine.
“They have no intention of selling. It’s for own consumption,” he said.
“Wamrong town is nearby but they buy Tengma from other places. Some manage to sell in Wamrong, but it’s not profitable because we have to spend a lot in transporting it to the market,” he added.
“The government has installed a grinding machine free of cost for us but we couldn’t put it to optimum use due to the lack of market,” Sumchu Zangmo from Pegphari said.
The gewog has two grinding machines all together including the one in Phegpari. The other is in Bongzor village and was set up privately.
Many of the maize growers in the gewog use their harvest to make Kharang and brew alcohol.
