Despite cultivating green chillies on a large scale, Pemathang Vegetable Group in Samdrup Jongkhar has not supplied even a kilogram time. About three acres of chilli harvests have died from pests. And this has left the farmers distressed.
Pemathang Vegetable Group cultivated the chillies in August last year on about three acres of land. But the pest has destroyed all their harvest. They supplied more than 500 kilograms of chillies at this time last year.
“All our chillies died due to some disease. We informed the agricultural office. They told us to cultivate chillies in another land,” said Tendi, a member of the group.
“The chilli harvest isn’t as good as last year. The soil has become old. Moreover, the lack of water is only adding to the problem,” said Lhawang Dema, another member.
According to the Dzongkhag Agriculture Sector, a pest species known as aphid affected the chillies. And the office has recommended the farmers apply organic pesticides.
Moreover, the agriculture officials said the chillies did not grow well as the group cultivated chillies without proper soil preparation.
The Pemathang Vegetable Group ventured into large-scale chilli cultivation some two years ago amid the pandemic.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Sonam Pem
