Many hazelnut growers across the country are seeing good production in recent years. However, for villagers in Gomdar and Lauri Gewogs in Samdrup Jongkhar, the situation is different. After more than a decade of waiting, hazelnut farming still remains unfulfilled as the trees are producing only empty shells with some yet to yield any fruit.
Twelve years ago, villagers of Khandroma in Gomdar Gewog planted hundreds of hazelnut tree saplings, hoping they would provide an alternative source of income.
Today, the trees stand tall, but the fruits inside are undeveloped or hollow. The farmers say years of care and waiting have brought no returns.
64-year-old Tashi Gyelmo was one of the first eight hazelnut growers in the village. She planted 250 trees on her 60-decimal plot, replacing potato, which was her main source of income.
Tashi says she incurred losses. She hires seven to eight workers twice a year to clear weeds, paying Nu 300 to 400 per person.
“We planted the trees by paying labourers and worked very hard. But when they started bearing fruit, the nuts were either undeveloped or empty inside. Still, officials told us not to lose hope and to wait a few more years. So, my husband still takes care of the trees.”
Similarly, Yeshi Wangdi, who is also one of the first hazelnut growers in the village, says that he has yet to see a harvest of fully developed nuts.
“It’s been a year and six months since we did the grafting, and we hope it will finally bear good fruit. So far, no one in our village has earned anything from hazelnuts, except the Nu 25 that a woman called Tashi Gyelmo earned.”
Farmers in Lauri Gewog share a similar story. Pema Tshomo of Gawaling village planted 175 hazelnut trees several years ago, but none have started fruiting.
“The hazelnut trees are not fruiting. Officials carried out grafting but it was not effective. I regret planting them. We worked very hard, digging big holes to plant the trees, and now they are dying. I think they will never bear fruit.”
Another grower Cheten Wangmo said, “The government has provided us support, and we worked according to their directives, but the trees still do not bear fruit. Maybe the soil is not suitable, or we don’t know how to manage them. Now I am fed up, and I don’t even like to look at the trees.”
The Mountain Hazelnuts Company says farmers should not lose hope. This year alone, more than 260 trees were grafted with new varieties in Samdrup Jongkhar.
The company says the new variety will produce results within two to three years. Last year, Samdrup Jongkhar recorded its first harvest of 81 kilogrammes from 13 growers.
Sean Watson (PhD), CEO of Mountain Hazelnuts said, “We began the grafting programme in 2024, and in other districts it is already showing results. In Samdrup Jongkhar, it will take another year or two for farmers to see yields. But we are confident the new variety will perform well.”
If the new varieties succeed, it could transform the lives of 11 households in Khandroma and several more in Lauri Gewog.
Tashi Dekar & Kinley Wangchuk
Edited by Tshering Zam
