Bhutan will begin hazelnuts export from next year. The Mountain Hazelnuts has projected over 500,000 kilograms of hazelnuts to be exported in China and Europe.
The Mountain Hazelnuts will be receiving most of the hazelnuts to be exported from the farmers of eastern dzongkhags.
The farmers from the east were the first ones to take up hazelnuts plantation since 2011.
With many plants past fruit-bearing stage, farmers of Trashigang are expected to produce the largest quantity next year. The plant usually begins fruiting after three or five years.
Even though the company will be exporting large quantities of hazelnuts next year, the company says it will be able to make profits only after five years. This year the company has started buying hazelnuts from the farmers for research and lab-testing purpose.
Mountain Hazelnuts, Managing Director, Dr. Sean Watson said they would be processing about 500 tons in their Lingmethang factory, next year.
In full production, Bhutan will be producing about 40,000 tons of nuts, which is about 4 percent of world market. “The market itself is very stable. There is good price for the farmers.”
The price of the hazelnuts for the farmers has been fixed at about 20 ngultrum for a kilogram. The company plans to increase the price of the hazelnuts in coming months.
Gearing up for next year’s export, the Mountain Hazelnuts is constructing a hazelnuts processing factory in Lingmethang in Monggar.
The factory, set to be complete by the end of this year, is expected to generate over 200 job opportunities.
