Woongchiloo Dairy Group in Nanong Gewog, Pema Gatshel has smelled the sweet scent of success in recent times. The group has been able to save more than a million ngultrum in just a year. This has encouraged the members to focus on raising more cattle. Dairy groups are among the top profit-making farmer’s group in the district.
Karma Tshewang from Tephu village in Nanong Gewog is one of the highest milk suppliers from the group to the milk processing unit. He wakes up as early as 5 am to prepare the feed, clean the shed and milk his three cows. He has earned around Nu 135,000 within seven months.
“In the past, I used to raise only one or two cows and produced enough for self-consumption. But things have been better after having a jersey cow. We have been supplying milk to the group upon which we receive the payment. I have supplied some 4,500 litres of milk for almost seven months. I have earned around Nu 135,000. From it, I spent more than Nu 50,000 for the feed and for self-expenditure,” said Karma Tshewang, a member of the Woongchiloo Dairy Group.
The establishment of the milk processing unit has solved marketing issues and encouraged farmers to raise cattle to earn income.
“As a member of the group, we have the privilege of taking advance to repay our loans. And they deduct the amount from our milk payment. Such a facility has immensely benefitted us. The government has spent a huge expenditure on establishing the milk processing unit. We now want to own more cattle with the better breed so that we can produce more milk,” added Sangay, a member of the group.
“With the establishment of such a dairy group, we feel better now. In the past, we only produced for self-consumption. We had marketing issues. Now we can directly supply the milk to the milk processing unit,” added Peldon, another member.
“They get the payment from supplying milk on a monthly basis. The response from the farmers is overwhelming and more have joined the group,” said Sonam Dorji, the chairperson of the dairy group.
There are two milk processing units in Nanong Gewog today. They sell dairy products to Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar town. There are more than 60 members with over 80 high breed jersey cows.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
