For the first time, a truckload of agricultural produce from Chaskar Gewog in Monggar reached the Centenary Farmers Market (CFM) in the capital yesterday. However, much to their disappointment, they were not able to sell their produce as expected despite cheap rates they offered. But for Mango sellers, it was a bumper sale.
Yeshey, a Gewog representative of the Sanam Gongphel Detsen or Agriculture Development Group of Chaskar Gewog in Monggar brought with him beaten maize known as Tengma, potato chips, butter, cheese and a variety of vegetables.
The prices were very cheap compared to the ones available in the market. A kilogramme of cauliflower for was tagged at Nu. 40, which in other stalls were costs Nu. 100. A kilogramme of potato is sold for Nu. 20, which costs 30 in other stalls. Likewise other commodities are sold with a price difference of at least Nu. 10.
“I don’t know what is wrong with my vegetables; maybe it is because of the quality. Mine are much cheaper but still I can’t sell it. I bought my produce worth Nu. 100,000 but till now I could sell only some worth of Nu. 20,000,” he said.
According to the Dzongkhag Agricultural Officer in Monggar, Khampa, who was also present at the site, the sale was not good. This, he said, was because of the inferior quality of produce due to long transportation duration. “It is mainly because of the quality because the famers don’t follow proper packaging procedures, secondly the vegetables are perishable in nature and two days of travelling will also damage the quality. Moreover, this is the first time and the famers are new in the market,” he said.
However, Yeshey is optimistic that with the help he received from the agricultural officers and the ministry, he will give another try. “Now I know the market and if I continue receiving such help despite the difficulty I faced today I will again do the same business next time and see if it succeeds.”
This is the first batch of agricultural produce from Chaskar Gewog as a pilot activity.
Mango was different
Meanwhile, the fate of famers from Lhuentse and Monggar who came to the capital to sell mangoes was not the same as Yeshey’s. Mangoes from these two Dzongkhags sold like hot cakes. This week alone, around 12 metric tonnes of mangoes were sold.
Ugyen Pemo from Mongar brought two truckloads of mangoes for the first time in Thimphu. She sold one truck load to the wholesalers at the Market at Nu. 50 kilogramme. Today she is left with just few boxes of mangoes.
“In Monggar, even if our yield is good we won’t be able to sell much. This year with the government’s help I almost finished selling my mangoes and I really fetched good income. Without the help from the government we don’t know where to sell and how to do it,” she said.
Similarly another farmer from Lhuntse finished selling his entire truck load of mangoes in a day. “I am really happy with the income I earned. There in village the market is not so good. Here within no time I finished selling all my mangoes,” Ngawang Tshering, a famer.
Ngawang sold around 2400 kilogrammes of mangoes and fetched him around Nu. 1,50000. Farmers said they would now continue to bring and sell mangoes as they now know the market in the capital.
The farmers were assisted by their agricultural extension officer from the Dzongkhag. This is to familiarise and introduce the farmers to the market in the capital.
