After almost three years of closure, the Dewathang vegetable market in Samdrup Jongkhar has reopened. Farmers living nearby are now able to sell their produce at the market. The Sunday vegetable market reopening has come as a relief to the farmers. The Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde used the market area during the pandemic to temporarily house construction workers.
Tshering Gyelpo, a farmer from Dewathang Gewog starts harvesting vegetables as early as six in the morning. He is preparing to take broccoli to the Sunday vegetable market this time.
Tshering Gyelpo’s wife then takes the broccolis to the market.
Farmers from nearby places like Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde, Rekhey, Domphu, and Marthang also bring vegetables here.
The farmers need not pay any fees to sell at the vegetable market. Villagers say they no longer have to worry about fetching low prices or vegetables getting damaged like they did when the market was closed.
“Last time, I was worried about not getting space to sell vegetables but now with the re-opening of the vegetable market by concerned agencies, I am very happy. Before, without a proper marketplace, vegetables used to get damaged in the field only. We even had to feed the vegetables to animals and some, we dried,” said Tshering Gyelpo, a farmer.
“We faced challenges in selling vegetables. During the pandemic, we had no market to sell our produce. Last Sunday, I got Nu 2500 by selling cabbages, broccolis, and other vegetables,” said Jimpa Tharchen, another farmer.
However, people say the vegetable shed needs to be repaired as some parts of the shed have been damaged.
“Some parts are damaged, so it needs repairing. If it could be repaired, we would be happy as it will look nice,” said Yangzom, a farmer.
“There is a need to do some maintenance here. Especially when it rains, water gets inside the shed. So, it will be nice if it is repaired,” said Jimpa Tharchen.
According to the Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde, they are planning to repair the Sunday vegetable market soon.
Sunday vegetable market at Dewathang was constructed in 2014 by Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Sherub Dorji
