Farmers in Ramjar Gewog, Trashi Yangtse are worried about their potato yield this year. Although, they reaped bountiful last year, this year, it is expected to drop significantly as they did not get enough fertilisers on time.
Besides maize, potato is a major cash crop in eastern Bhutan and today many farmers in Ramjar can be seen in the field planting potatoes and students are back home from their schools helping their parents do the same.
Farmers earned better last year as harvest was bountiful and they also fetched better price at the auction yard in Samdrup Jongkhar. 73-year-old Kuenzang, who is a farmer in Ramjar earned over Nu. 200,000 last year.
Kuenzang dreads, he will not be able to earn much this year, as he managed to work only one third of his field for potato plantation. There was not enough Suphala fertiliser, which farmers claimed was an important fertilizer for potatoes.
According to the gewog administration,the fertiliser should be available for farmers in a week’s time from today. It has to be brought from India.
Gewog Mangmi Karchung said all the agents involved in supplying fertilisers had been informed.However, even the agent in Phuentshogling was yet to receive the supply from India.
Farmers plant potatoes in the months of December and January and by June, it is harvested. Few sell their potatoes in Trashigang while most of it is sold in the Samdrup Jongkhar auction yard.
