It is the peak season this time around for fresh vegetables from Sarpang to hit the market, however, it is going to be a little longer, before the abundance. Blame it to the unseasonal rainfall; farmers were not able to start vegetable cultivation on time.
Usually, farmers in Sarpang start their vegetable cultivation in October month, but this time, they were able to do so only in November. One of the farmers Depak Chhetri said heavy shower in October lasted for almost a month, which delayed the cultivation.
”This time last year, we had our first harvest of winter vegetables, but this time the unseasonal rainfall was coupled by pests, wild animals, and blights which added to the delay,’’ said Kamana Gurung, the owner of an organic farm.
Normally, Samtenling Gewog supplies the first harvest of vegetables at this time, but with most of the vegetables still in the growing stage, it could take more than a month for the harvest. And the problem is the same everywhere in the dzongkhag.
However, a huge quantity of fresh vegetables will soon hit the market, especially from Samtenling. According to the Gewog Agriculture Extension Officer Jambay Lhamo, some 36 farmers in the Gewog have cultivated vegetables in mass.
The dzongkhag also approved Nu. 22 million for agriculture farming under the Economic Contingency Plan (ECP). Likewise, the dzongkhag agriculture sector provided the farmers with rabbit fencing net, green shed net, plastic mulch, irrigation pipe, irrigation water pump, and fabricated poly house.
Meanwhile, the dzongkhag supplied more than 3000 kilograms of its first harvest of winter vegetable production to Thimphu recently. Nearly 400 farmers in the dzongkhag are into commercial vegetable farming today.
Karma Wangdi
