The Farmers’ Sales Outlet has helped address marketing challenges for farmers in Dagana. The sales outlet was inaugurated in September this year. The outlet is linked to farmers’ groups across the 14 gewogs in the district ensuring a sustained market for their farm produce.
The outlet is located below the Dagapela hospital along the newly opened Dagapela-Dalbari highway. The outlet has over 50 locally produced agriculture and livestock products.
The outlet receives fresh products from the local community that can be easily sold at a reasonable price.
“In the absence of such an outlet, farmers have been struggling with marketing challenges. A lot of vegetables and fruits have rotted in the fields due to poor marketing post-harvest. The sales outlet will immensely benefit farmers, especially the youths who are interested to take up farming,” said Dawa Zam from the Farmers’ Sales Outlet.
“I manufacture mustard oil at the national post-harvest centre and sell it here. The outlet has helped me market my product,” said Sonam Dorji Subba, a farmer of Gozhi Gewog.
The outlet has also allowed farmers to sell the farm produce to the post-harvest sub-centre located above the outlet where the produce is processed into various other products.
“In the absence of a sales outlet, people have to visit villages to buy dairy products like butter, cheese and milk. But now they can get all the dairy products from the sales outlet. This has benefited them,” said Santa Bdr. Subba from the Farmers’ Sales Outlet.
“We place orders from farmers on a need basis. I make payments immediately if the quantity of the farm produce is less than a hundred kilograms. But if the quantity exceeds, then I make payments only after selling the produce,” added Dawa Zam.
A 13-member farmers’ group called Daga Sanam Thuenken Detshen is managing the outlet.
Dagana District Agriculture Sector constructed the outlet at a cost of Nu 4.1 M with funding support from the Food Security and Agriculture Productivity Project.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
Edited by Sonam Pem
