Potato is one the main cash crops grown by the farmers of Bumthang Dzongkhag. However, this is likely to change in the coming years. Instead of potatoes, chilli cultivation is fast gaining popularity in Bumthang.
The Horticulture Division under the Department of Agriculture encouraged farmers in Bumthang to cultivate chillies three years ago. They provided farmers with modern equipment like polythene house to grow saplings. Since then, most of the farmers have developed interest in cultivating chillies. Earlier, farmers were hesitant to cultivate chillies as the saplings had to be bought from Trongsa and Punakha.
“It has been three years since that we have been cultivating our own chilli seedlings which gives good yield. I think the main reason may be due to climate change and also we are using the modern technique like polythene house, plastic and all,” said Gyalong, Bumthang Dzongkhag’s Agriculture Officer.
According to Tshering Pelden, Chairman of the Wangdichholing Organic Farmers’ Group they no more have to bring the seedlings from Trongsa. “This way it has benefited us. Business wise too, chilli fetches better price than potato. We have to take potatoes from here to Phuentsholing and price is fixed by others. So sometimes we get good income but sometimes, we don’t get money even to recover our transportation costs,” he said.
Another Farmers’ Group in Jalikhar said they could recover the costs just by selling seedlings in the market. “This year, the government has provided us plastic house so we planted many seedlings and hope to make better income than last year,” said Sonam Rinchen, Chairman of the Group.
Since chilli forms an integral part of Bhutanese cuisines, the Dzongkhag Agriculture Officer is optimistic that farmers can cash in good income if it is cultivated in larger scale.
“More farmers wanted to go for chilli because the market for potatoes is India only, where sometimes they don’t even recover the cost of transportation from Bumthang to Phuentsholing,” said the Dzongkhag Agriculture Officer.
Besides potatoes and chillies, farmers in Bumthang also grow varieties of vegetables like spinach, cabbage, garlic, tomatoes and onions.
