While chilli is considered a spice for most people, it is a vegetable in many homes of Bhutanese. A curry is incomplete without chilli, especially green chillies. And it’s running short in Sarpang, one of the Dzongkhags known for producing ample winter vegetables.
Farmers in the district said it was due to the rainfall in autumn, which damaged the crops. And because of the shortages of the green chillies, people in Gelegphu are buying dry chillies.
“We have no alternative than taking dry chillies,” said Ajay, in Gelegphu.
“We take green chilli if it is available in the market. But now we take dry chillies in absence of green chillies,” said another customer, Yangchen Dema.
Farmers said, usually at this time of the year, the Dzongkhag does not face chilli shortage. But this time, it was due to unseasonal rainfall in the months of September and October last year which damaged the chillies.
But all is not lost, farmers have replanted the coveted chillies again and is expected to hit the market by the end of next month.
The Dzongkhag Agriculture officer said the agriculture sector has been investing a huge amount in chilli production.
Karma Wangdi
