If one thing that is done good by the COVID-19 pandemic is making Bhutanese know the importance of farming to realise food self-sufficiency. Bhutanese, during the first nationwide lockdown, raised a hue and cry over limited tomatoes and onions in the market and their inflated price. This has made farmers venture into growing tomatoes commercially.
Tashi Choden, a young farmer from Bangyul in Dungmaed Gewog in Pema Gatshel is one of the farmers who is growing tomatoes.
Before the pandemic, she cultivated only chilli on large scale. She started cultivating tomato in Durungri last year.
“Since tomato becomes rare unlike the past due to COVID pandemic, I took this opportunity to cultivate this product on large scale,” said Tashi Choden.
Although she cultivated tomato in just one greenhouse, she had been able to sell more than 20 kgs.
Tashi said, ” I deliver to those who demand tomatoes as of now. Recently, my sister was asking me to send it to Thimphu. I will be sensing my second harvest there. I think there won’t be a marketing problem if we happen to produce a huge quantity. As I have only one greenhouse today, I am not able to meet the demand.”
For her, this is just a beginning. After seeking support from relevant stakeholders, she is planning on extending her farm.
She bought one greenhouse and drip irrigation set on cost-sharing from Agriculture Research and Development Center in Wengkhar and a power tiller on loan from CSI bank.
“I want to continue with tomato cultivation hereon. If I get support from the dzongkhag agriculture sector, I want to buy one to two greenhouses to extend my farm. But I am not sure whether I would get support or not. For this, I got support from Wengkhar,” Tashi added.
The District Agriculture Sector said that the office supports the procurement of materials on cost-sharing for any agriculture enthusiast.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
