Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the global economy and hit small-scale businesses particularly hard. While some local businesses managed to survive, in some cases, they have thrived. One such is the Zambalha Milk-Processing Unit in Noorboogang Gewog in Pema Gatshel. Doing good business last year, the group recently declared a profit of almost Nu 2 M.
Established in 2017, the Zambalha dairy group has not faced any marketing hiccups so far. The group today supplies its products to various districts including Thimphu.
And to further boost their business and encourage more farmers to take up dairy farming, the group has also been organizing competitions among the various milk suppliers in the gewog.
“The competition helps us get the continuous supply of milk and at the same time make members compete with each other to produce more milk. Some of the members have also brought in more cows,” said Ngawang Penjor, the chairperson of the group.
Inspired and motivated by the group, some of the members are also planning to bring in high breed cows from India.
“The competition encourages us. It also instils a sense of competition among us to become the highest milk supplier for the unit. Not only that, but we have also replaced the old cows with high breed cows. For instance, we want to replace jersey cows with Holstein Friesian. We want to increase our productions too,” said Samdrup Dorji, one of the members of the group.
As a prize, the highest milk supplier to the units is provided with karma feeds.
“If the prizes are awarded in cash, we fear that we would not be able to use it wisely. As such we have decided to give Karma Feed as a prize. This will further help farmers in producing more milk from their cattle.” said Pelden Dorji, another member of the group.
The group in the last four years has saved more than Nu 8 M from the profit they earned through the dairy group.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel.
