For generations, ginger has sustained the livelihoods of farmers in Logchina in Chhukha. But this year, the once-profitable crop has become a burden. With prices plummeting, tonnes of ginger are now left unsold with some starting to rot.
30-year-old Bikash Rai has spent his life cultivating ginger as the main cash crop.
He took up ginger farming at an early age, following in the footsteps of his parents.
And it has been a lucrative business for him and his family except during the pandemic.
However, the worst has come as ginger price dropped to as low as ten ngultrum per kilogramme. But these days, the price has improved, increasing to more than Nu 20.
He has stocked up more than three thousand kilogrammes of ginger, with the produce now rotting and sprouting.
“Last year, we could fetch around Nu 130. For transportation till Phuentshogling, we have to pay four ngultrum per kilogram. We could not sell the small ones and for the bigger ones, we got around Nu 12 per kilogramme.”
Like Bikash, Ram Dhan Rai has also piled up a huge stock of ginger outside his home and fields.
He is worried about repaying the loans because it is their only source of income.
And the situation is same for most households in the gewog.
Ram Dhan Rai, a farmer said “Almost 90 per cent of the people here depend on ginger for their livelihood. With no income from ginger this year, we are unable to repay loans and meet the basic expenses to send children to school and buy ration. Earlier, we could get a 50-kilogramme rice bag by selling 50 kilogrammes of ginger. But now, we have to sell over two quintals of ginger to get the same rice bag.”
Tham Bir Rai, another farmer said “There is no market for ginger this year. And we are very worried about it. Without a proper market, the produce is going into waste.”
Likewise, Indra Bdr Rai said “The situation this year is similar to what it was like during the pandemic. Our main source of income, our cash crop is ginger. Many people even availed themselves of loans to cultivate ginger and now they are not in a position to repay the loan.”
Similarly, Aita Singh Rai said “People here depend on ginger for their livelihood. Other cash crops like oranges and cardamom stopped growing well. But now, even ginger has no value, and everyone is worried.”
While the exact reason for the drastic price drop is unclear, farmers say there are fewer buyers from India this year. They said with strict monitoring to curb fronting, the number of Indian buyers has reduced significantly.
Tham Bdr Rai, Logchina Gup said “When we ask around, in the previous years, local vendors from India use business license of Bhutanese and buy the gingers. Since it is against the country’s law they are asked to leave and this is affecting the market.”
He says that it is time for the government to explore market for these products aside from India and Bangladesh. The gup also wrote a letter to the agriculture minister regarding the issue.
As the farmers await government’s intervention, their months of hard work, hope, and livelihood continue to rot in piles.
Kinley Dem, Chhukha
Edited by Tshering Zam
