Vegetable vendors at Wangdue’s Bajo town will have a spacious market shed by the end of next year. The construction of a new vegetable market shed is set to commence from June this year. Currently, vegetable vendors struggle with a space crunch at the existing market shed which accommodates more than 35 vendors. Due to the limited space, farmers from the nearby areas have to sell outside the shed.
50-year-old Pem Zam has been selling her vegetables at a corner of the shed. She is one of the farmers not allowed to sell inside the shed. It has been almost three months since she started selling her farm produce from this spot.
The mother of two, from Medpaisa-Tabchekha Chiwog in Gase Tshowom, takes a taxi every Thursday to bring her vegetables to the market and returns home on Sunday.
She sells her vegetables from 7 AM till 6 in the evening.
Pem Zam says she earns a decent income from selling vegetables adding that it would be even better if farmers are also given a proper market shed to sell their produce.
She believes this will encourage farmers to grow vegetables to meet local demands.
“I can get a spot to sell my vegetables if I arrive in the evening itself. Otherwise, if I come in the morning, it’s difficult to find a space. As we are in the open space, it is difficult when it rains or shines. Strong winds make it more challenging with dusts blowing into our eyes.”
The issue of space crunch is also affecting the vendors selling from inside the shed.
They claim that due to the lack of sufficient space, they are unable to offer a wider variety of vegetables for customers, which ultimately affect their income.
Dema, a vegetable vendor said “We could display more vegetable items if we are allowed to use the space in front of our allocated area. But since we’re not allowed to do that, we have to keep most of our vegetables behind us, displaying only a few items. We are forced to pile them up at the back and as a result vegetables get damaged. Moreover, vegetables rot during the summer.”
Wangmo, another vegetable vendor said “Our vegetables will not get spoiled if we have enough space. In winter, the vegetables get damaged by frost caused by the CGI sheet roofing. Similarly, in summer, they get damaged due to the heat from the same roof. This is a serious problem. Having a proper adequate space would help us maintain the quality of our vegetables and fruits.”
Likewise, Dema added that “Customers would be able to easily spot the vegetables we have if we are allowed to display them in front of our allocated space. But when we keep our vegetables at the back, customers often go elsewhere, thinking we don’t have many options. We are paying a rent of Nu 1,500 per month for the shed.”
Due to the space crunch, most farmers sell their vegetables on Sundays at the Sunday market located next to the police station. Some of them start arriving as early as 5 AM and return home by noon. The public expressed concerns about vehicle accident risks due to the lack of a parking space, as well as potential health issues as vegetables are being sold in open areas. The issue was also raised several times in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
To address the issue, the district administration will be constructing a farmers’ vegetable market shed above the Bajo fuel depot.
Nu 48 M has been allocated for its construction through the Government of India’s High-Impact Community Development Projects grant. The new shed will accommodate more than two hundred vegetable vendors.
Rinzin Wangchuk, the planning officer of Wangdue Phodrang said “The construction will incorporate both concrete as well as traditional structure as a two-storey building. We will have a monitoring office as well as cafeteria. Local products from the fifteen gewogs will be accommodated in the new vegetable market.”
According to the officer, the vegetable market shed will have ample parking space, washrooms, an amphitheater, and a monitoring office for the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority. However, there will be no space for meat shops inside the shed.
The officer says the tender for the construction will be floated soon.
Once complete, the new market shed will have designated space for imported and local vegetables as well as for dairy products.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Phub Gyem
