With the only mustard oil extraction machine in the district remaining non-functional, villagers in Haa are forced to travel all the way to Paro to extract oil. Mustard oil is essential for the people of Haa, used in making hoentey and for feeding livestock. November and December are traditionally peak months for oil extraction, as households prepare for Lomba, the New Year for Haaps and Parops.
Paying about Nu 1,500 per person, a few individuals from Haa hired a Bolero to travel to Pangbisa in Paro to extract mustard oil.
Each of them brought around 20 to 30 kilogrammes of mustard seeds.
Tshering Pem said, “It would be convenient if we had services like this in Haa. Here, we have to form groups and hire vehicles because the cost is high. If this service is available in Haa, we could come anytime we need. Travelling to Paro is challenging.”
Chimi Dorji said, “We have to spend a lot to hire vehicles to transport our mustard from Haa, and we have to spend the entire day here. Moreover, it is difficult to hire a vehicle. It would be convenient if one could be installed in Haa.”
The machine in Pangbisa is owned by a private individual.
The owner said that over the past few weeks, five to six people from Haa have been coming daily for oil extraction. There is another oil extraction machine in Dawakha in Paro.
Haa district currently has a mustard oil expeller installed at the Eusu Gewog office.
However, farmers say the machine has remained unused since its installation about six months ago due to the absence of an operator.
Now, farmers are calling for the immediate appointment of a trained operator so the facility can be made functional.
Tshering Dorji said, “We have a large machine in Haa, but we cannot use it because there is no one to operate it. We requested the gewog, then the district, and eventually the government, so that an operator can be appointed soon. It would benefit us.”
Tshering Pem added that “We heard that there is a mustard oil expeller in our Gewog, but there are no operators. We would be grateful if officials could immediately assign someone to operate the machine.”
Haa district agriculture officials said a wheat thresher, a mustard oil expeller, and a flour mill, have been installed in the area at a cost of Nu 500,000. Officials said the machines will be handed over to the community together.
The machines have not been handed over yet due to a pending replacement part for the flour mill.
Regarding the operator, officials added that a few individuals have already received basic training, and further hands-on training will be provided for interested individuals.
However, with parts yet to be installed and Lomba approaching, farmers from Haa will have to rely on mustard oil extraction facilities in Paro until the machines in their district become fully operational.
Karma Samten Wangda
