Hazelnut production in the country has doubled to over 10 metric tonnes last year compared to 2023. In recognition of the contributions to boosting production, Mountain Hazelnuts Venture honoured 16 top growers at the Grower Awards ceremony at Monggar yesterday. Tashi Lhamo from Lichen in Trashi Yangtse was recognised as the top grower, producing more than 500 kgs of the nut.
As the day begins, Tashi Lhamo with a saw and a lopper, heads to her hazelnut farm. Spanning two and a half acres, she tends to around one thousand hazelnut trees.
She starts to remove damaged and old branches, a process known as pruning. Pruning usually is done during lean winter months to prepare the trees for better fruiting.
The 47-year-old harvested around 530 kgs of hazelnuts last year, making it the highest production recorded in the country. She earned around Nu 50,000 from the harvest.
Tashi began growing the nut in 2012, but for several years, her trees did not bear fruits, turning her efforts into disappointment.
However, a transformative grafting programme revived her farm, and her trees started bearing high-quality nuts.
Tashi Lhamo said, “It has only been around three years since the trees started bearing fruits. I struggled but this year, I had the highest harvest.”
To support farmers like Tashi in continuing their hazelnut cultivation, Mountain Hazelnuts in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives organised the first-ever Grower Awards.
The top 16 growers, selected from over 8,000 farmers across the country, were awarded agricultural machinery and certificates.
“At today’s award ceremony, I received mechanical tools such as a grass cutter. This will help me clear the bushes, collect more nuts, and ultimately earn more income. Some farmers have abandoned hazelnut cultivation, but I will encourage others to continue. There is potential to make good income,” said Tashi Lhamo.
“Thanks to Mountain Hazelnuts, I have travelled to the east for the first time. I had the chance to visit Takila in Lhuntse, the Kurichu project, and the Mountain Hazelnuts office. Going forward, I plan to expand my farm and grow even more trees,” said Kinley Tshering, a hazelnut grower from Dagana.
“If you want good production, growers must work hard, just like we did. Some farmers abandoned their farms after planting, and the fields turned into bushes. I have managed my farm well, pruning and clearing the bushes, and now our hard work has paid off with good yields,” said Mindu, a hazelnut grower from Punakha.
As part of the event, the group also visited a sacred site, the Kurichhu Hydroelectric Project, and the Mountain Hazelnuts office in Lingmithang.
Hazelnuts are now grown on nearly 5,000 acres of land across 19 districts.
Last year, the Mountain Hazelnuts paid growers Nu 100 per kg of quality hazelnuts including a bonus of around Nu 49. This year, the guaranteed floor price will increase to Nu 59. To further encourage growers, the company has decided to double the bonus this year. Growers will be paid a final price of Nu 150 per kg this year.
Sonam Darjay, Monggar
Edited by Sangay Chezom
