Crop production in the country is often challenged by weather and climate conditions. As such, the greenhouse plays an important role in ensuring crops are not exposed to extreme weather conditions and for better yield. Taking advantage of the fabricated greenhouse received on cost-sharing, a farmer in the Maen village of Shumar Gewog in Pema Gatshel is venturing into growing onion commercially.
The district agriculture office provided Tashi Jamtsho with a greenhouse on cost-sharing last year. He only had to pay around Nu 18,000.
Since then, he has been growing vegetables such as beans, chilli and asparagus. But last winter, he sowed onion seeds in the greenhouse. After the onion started sprouting early, he decided to plant the onion in a larger field.
“Onions seed should grow inside the greenhouse. We can then transplant the sprouts outside. The onions have been growing well this year,” said Tashi Jamtsho.
Although he is currently growing the crop in a field about the size of a futsal ground, he hopes to increase his production in the coming years.
“I am growing onion in the hope to reduce imports and if we can produce enough for ourselves, it would be nice. I am expanding my field so I hope to grow more next year,” Tashi added.
Tashi has been growing vegetables and selling them to the people in the district for more than a decade. He has been earning more than Nu 100,000 every year.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Sangay Chezom
