The Pema Gatshel Dzongkhag Tshogdu decided to write to the Finance Ministry and Farm Machinery Corporation Limited on the possibility of revisiting the charges of hiring power tillers. Zobel Gup raised the issue after the farmers shared their concerns regarding a sudden hike in charges. Farmers claim the rate has almost doubled.
Today, the farmers of Zobel Gewog have completed potato cultivation works. Almost all 400 households have to hire power tillers from FMCL.
This time, they paid Nu 2755 a day, which is almost double of what they used to pay last year.
Owing to the sudden hike in rate, some of the farmers said they even use oxen now.
“We would be grateful if the hiring charges are kept like earlier. As a farmer, we face difficulty in paying that rate,” said Pema Dorji, a farmer.
“As a farmer, when we were asked to pay Nu 2755, we were surprised. Even if they want to increase the charges, it should be Nu 200 to 300,” said Penjor, another farmer.
They have raised their concerns to Zobel Gup and it was discussed during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
“When there was a sudden hike in the hiring charges, the farmers approached the gewog sharing their concerns. The government’s policy is to let farmers work and produce more. But with such hike, there is a risk of more fallow land and Gungtongs,” said Pema Dorji, Zobel Gup.
Some of the villagers in other gewogs also shared similar views.
According to the Area Manager of Farm Machinery Corporation, the charges were increased after the government removed the subsidy in December last year.
“The main reason for the hike is that in the past, 50 per cent of charges were paid by the farmers and the other half by the government. We all know the country’s economic situation and it also hampered us. The government said that they are not able to provide the subsidy. So, there was an increase in the rate,” said Tandin Wangchuk, Area Manager of FMCL.
FMCL has more than 50 power tillers in Pema Gatshel.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Tshering Zam
