The Bhutan Standards Bureau has developed a draft National Standards to ensure the power tillers imported through Agricultural Machinery Centre and other agencies are up to standard.
However, AMC says, once the draft is finalized, it is not mandatory for every machine to go through testing procedure.
“It will be on a voluntary basis,” said AMC’s Programme Director, Karma Thinley. He said the public and dealers will have to come on their own accord to get the testing done.
The set of standards were prepared based on the requirements of the Agricultural Machinery Centre and is expected to be finalised by June, next year.
The engine performance test will check if the machines have the required strength to adapt to the country’s atmospheric conditions.
According to the Programme Director, many farmers have complained about weak power tillers. He said the strength of machines drop by around 20 percent because of Bhutan’s altitude.
The standard testing would address this and several other issues.
Besides being of huge benefit to the farmers, it will also be helpful to the dealers and environment.
“If we do not put in place the standards, then poor quality machines will be brought in which will get damaged easily. It will also have huge impact on the environment,” said the Programme Director.
Works to prepare the power tiller standards were started since 2013 by the Bhutan Standards Bureau after recommendation from the agricultural machinery centre.
