Finding a reliable market is one of the major challenges farmers and entrepreneurs across the country face today. To help farmers and entrepreneurs network with potential customers and build new business relationships by showcasing their products, the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives organised an Agriculture Fair at Paro on Friday. About 30 entrepreneurs took part in the fair showcasing various products.
Locally processed food items like cookies, refined oil, wine and tea, dried vegetables and fruit were among the many commodities on display during the fair.
36-year-old Tshering Dorji from Chhukha came to market eggs laid by indigenous chickens. On his farm, Tshering Dorji has about 150 indigenous chickens, which lay about 50 trays of eggs in a month.
Tshering says the productivity of indigenous birds is not even half of those of a normal poultry farm. On the other hand, at Nu 600 per tray, people hardly opt for local eggs.
“In the current situation, from a business perspective indigenous poultry farm is not profitable. It is just sustainable. I am just able to manage to buy feeds from selling the eggs. They lay only about 12 eggs a month. There are some 11 varieties of indigenous birds at my farm.”
At the fair, Tshering was approached by several potential buyers.
“Many people do not know what the local eggs look like and also complain about the high price. But some people know. Through such platforms, we get to meet other businesses and network. For instance, CSI market and AshaPasa, an e-commerce store, are willing to buy eggs on wholesale.”
“Through such exhibitions, potential buyers will know there is a product from Trongsa. On the other hand, since we are not able to market our products, many people do not know about our tea products. So, with the fair, we can interact with potential wholesalers,” said Dechen Pelden.
The agricultural marketing and cooperative department plans to take such agriculture fairs to other districts.
“Fairs like this will not solve marketing issues completely. There will be issues. But through such fairs, where relevant stakeholders meet, we will work towards creating an ideal market situation,” said Leki Tenzin, the coordinator of the department of agriculture marketing and cooperatives.
Namgay Wangchuk, Paro
Edited by Sherub Dorji
