Lemongrass oil business was once thriving in the eastern part of the country. About 10 tons of lemongrass oil used to be produced by the Lemongrass Cooperative Group formed in 2007. The cooperative group had 170 members.
However, over the years, the interests of people in lemongrass oil production have started waning. The members of the cooperative group has dropped down to 45 members and now they can only hope to produce about three tons of lemongrass oil.
“The lemongrass production involves lot of hard work,” said the Chairman of the Lemongrass Cooperative, Tenzin Namgay “That’s why the interests in people are waning.” He said the people’s attention is now getting diverted to construction sites where they are paid more wage.
The group currently collects lemongrass oil from about 15 distillers in the four eastern Dzongkhags. A litre of lemon grass oil cost about Nu.750.
The group is hoping that the business will revive in future. ” Currently the government is investing a lot in development activities and people have works to do. In the future when there is less work, we expect people to take up the lemongrass oil business once again”
Other problems like shortage of firewood and water, required for the oil production, is also a challenge.
