The new vegetable market in Lingmithang of Monggar has turned into a bone of contention between vendors and farmers. With limited space inside the vegetable shed, farmers from Monggar, Chhali and Tsakaling Gewogs sell their vegetables from outside the shed on Fridays and Saturdays. But vendors from Saling Gewog don’t want farmers from other gewogs to do business at the new vegetable shed.
Every Friday farmers from nearby gewogs visit the new market in Lingmithang to sell their produce. The otherwise idle market comes alive with people doing business. But all is not well as farmers and vendors are not happy with the arrangement that is in place.
“With no empty space inside, we sell vegetables near the railings of the shed. But a few vendors inside told us not to come and sell vegetables on Friday. They said that the Gup informed them to allow us only on Saturday,” said Kuenzang Choden, a farmer from Tsakaling Gewog.
They said they have been selling vegetables at Lingmithang in the past too without any complaints from anyone. “However, a few vendors have started complaining recently and we were not able to sell our vegetables properly.”
And as dusk falls, the crowd increases with more people coming out of their homes to get fresh vegetables. As customers prefer buying local vegetables sold outside, vendors inside the vegetable shed claim that their business is affected. To discourage buyers and sellers to do business outside, they even put off the light outside the shed.
“There is a shortage of space inside the vegetable shed and we are compelled to sell vegetables outside. It is inconvenient with the movement of vehicles and the people. And it is made worse when the vendors staying inside the shed put off the light,” said Tenzin Zangpo in Lingmithang.
“Without light, both sellers and customers are facing difficulties. Customers cannot select fresh vegetables in the dark. We also pay some fees for selling vegetables here. We used to pay Nu 10 every week and the amount was revised to Nu 20,” said Pema Lhaden, a Farmer from Tsakaling Gewog.
Currently, there are eight vendors from Saling Gewog who are selling vegetables at the vegetable market. They say farmers coming from different gewogs to sell vegetables at the new market affects their business.
“It is even difficult to get Nu 100 in a day. It is challenging for us when we have to pay Nu 1,000 as rent and also have to bear water and electricity bills. I think Saturday is enough for them. But they come to sell vegetables on Friday evening and Saturday as well,” said a vendor.
According to Thinley Lhendup, a vendor in Lingmithang, farmers from other gewogs are not allowed to sell vegetables in the new shed as it was constructed exclusively for Saling Gewog: “Currently, all the vendors are from Saling and we don’t entertain other people to come inside. In the past, farmers from other gewogs come on Saturday to sell vegetables. But it has changed now, with the increase in the number of farmers coming to sell vegetables, our business gets hampered.”
“Who is going to stop other farmers from coming here? Gewog or the Dzongkhag? When the vegetable market was initially inaugurated it was for the people of Saling Gewog only,” added another vendor.
However, officials from Saling Gewog and the Regional Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives in Monggar said the vegetable market is for the public and there is no written rule that farmers from other gewogs cannot come to sell vegetables. But the vendors and farmers will continue to lock horns if relevant officials don’t issue a clear directive.
Sonam Tshering, Monggar
Edited by Sonam
