The small vegetable sheds in different zones in Thimphu are failing to attract vendors. Out of 14 mini and medium vegetable sheds in Thimphu, 10 sheds are opened for business recently. The construction started in September last year and was supposed to be ready by November. The government decided to open small market sheds in different zones to reduce the risk of virus spread.
While almost all eight mini vegetable sheds are occupied the spaces in the two medium sheds are mostly empty. The medium vegetable shed at Lungtenphu area which can accommodate fifteen vendors has only six of them today.
Dawa, a vegetable vendor at Lungtenphu vegetable shed said the business is not so good. “People buy very little quantity. It is difficult to meet rent from the business here. There are already so many vegetable markets in this area.”
“Since it is new, I think people are not aware of the vegetable sheds here. I am hopeful that people might start coming soon. As of now, there are not many customers. I am concerned. The rent is Nu 7,300 per month,” added Choining Wangmo.
The story is no different in Taba. Only three vendors are selling vegetables in the shed that can accommodate twelve vendors.
Phub Dem a vegetable vendor at Taba said the business in the new shed is not as good as it is at the CFM. “I used to sell vegetables at the CFM. But after the lockdown, when we were distributed sheds, I got here in Taba. We shifted here from this month after the Thromde informed us to do so. But the business is not good here. Many of my friends thought that CFM will function like before and they left this place. I also thought about leaving but I may not get a space later if CFM remains closed.”
“It is helpful. They built a house and the rent is also reasonable. But there are only three of us here. And people are confused about whether the shed is open or not. Otherwise, the government has built this shed for the benefit of the public,” said Tenzin Thinley.
There were almost 500 vegetable vendors at the Centenary Farmers Market. Today, with just about 100 vendors, the market is operating with one-third of its capacity as per the government’s directives since October last year. The government is encouraging the CFM vendors to move out to the zones as the market is dominated by vendors and not farmers.
“16 of them cancelled their spaces in zones. But we informed them through social media that in future if in case the CFM closes down, we will not take the risk. The thromde also said that those who cancelled the sheds in zones might face difficulty getting the spaces in future,” said Neten, the manager of CFM.
The remaining four medium vegetable sheds are expected to be ready by this month. But the 14 sheds will accommodate only about 100 vendors. The agriculture minister said there are plans to construct more sheds.
Lyonpo said the CFM is not going to close. The plan is to keep local farm produce from across the country at the CFM’s ground floor and supply it to vendors. The upper floor would be a zone market.
Samten Dolkar
