After more than a month, the Centenary Farmer’s Market (CFM) finally reopened today. However, to maintain physical distance and control the spread of the virus, only 170 counters out of the 500 counters available in the area were allowed to operate at a time. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the CFM was closed to the public from the 11th of September.
The CFM was once again buzzing with activities as it reopened for the public today. DeSuups and CFM officials were seen monitoring the vendors and farmers carefully. And as the vendors and farmers began to ready their respective counters after the long gap, they express their gratitude and relief to the government.
“We are extremely happy with the reopening of the CFM and knowing that we will be able to sell our goods from today onwards. Otherwise, we had many worries and stress like how to raise our children and pay rents,” said Sonam Choden, a vendor at the CFM.
“We are very happy with the government’s decision to finally allow the CFM to reopen from today onwards. Due to the pandemic, we could not sell all goods for the last one and a half months. It was quite difficult for us. However, now that it’s open, I would like to thank the government,” said Yangka Bidha.
“We hope that it will be kept open to public hereafter too. We are all women here with poor backgrounds and this is the only source of income which helps us sustain our livelihood,” added Nim Dem.
Following the card system introduced by the management of the CFM, about 100 vendors turned up to sell their goods today. And maintaining proper physical distance, they will sell their goods for the next week.
“With permission from the government, we have reopened the CFM from today onwards. However, only one-third of it will be opened and three groups of 170 vendors will operate the CFM every week. As per our list, we have around 170 yellow cardholders who will be selling their goods till Monday,” said Tshering Tenzin, a Senior Manager at the CFM.
Meanwhile, vendors allocated in the green and the blue groups can register themselves with the Thromde and sell their goods at the Multi-Level Car Parking.
“The next two groups of vendors can meanwhile sell their goods at the space provided at the Multi-Level Car Parking area if they are willing to. Since we are only allowing one-third of the vendors to operate here, we cannot allow everyone to run their business from here,” he added.
For now, Thimphu Thromde has completed the refurbishing of the two Multi-Level Car Parking area with proper counters for vendors to sell their vegetables and other goods. Nearly 300 vegetable vendors can sell their goods at the place with a proper toilet and parking facilities.
And to further enable the farmers and vendors to resume their businesses like earlier, constructions of mini vegetable markets are underway in the various identified zones such as Motithang, Chang Gidaphu, and two in Babesa area.
Passang Dorji
