Some farmers in Trashigang are unhappy with the quality of the plastic films in the greenhouse. According to the farmers, their greenhouses got damaged within a few months of installation. The Trashigang district administration provided the greenhouse material on a cost-sharing basis during the last financial year. The farmers have reported the matter to the district administration requesting intervention.
This greenhouse was set up in August last year. It has not even been a year yet and the plastic film started to get damaged last month.
So far, 12 farmers of Kanglung, Thrimshing, Bidung and Lumang Gewogs reported damages to their greenhouses while a few more reported signs of damage. The Trashigang District Administration is collecting reports of damages.
The farmers tried to mend the torn sheets by using sellotape and plastic but that was unsuccessful.
Farmers say the plastic sheets for the greenhouse would usually last more than a decade. But with theirs suffering damages within a year, they suspect the quality of the plastic must have been poor.
A set of greenhouse cost Nu 73,500 and each farmer pays around Nu 15,000 as they bear 20 per cent of the total cost.
“The plastic sheet of my greenhouse got torn after five to six months of installation. The plastic near the iron pole started getting damaged initially. The damage became irreparable due to wind. I tried to maintain using sellotape and plastic but it did not work. Now, we cannot repair it. We will be grateful if they replace the plastic,” said Kezang Choden, a resident of Kanglung Gewog.
“I have asked other friends who have greenhouses and they told me that their greenhouse is running for more than a decade. But ours didn’t last even a year. This is disappointing and discouraging. Last time, I harvested vegetables from the greenhouse but it got damaged later. Now, it cannot protect the crops from rain, wind and even insects,” said Tshering Lhamo, another resident.
The district has also written to the supplier about their field visit for verification and the possibility of replacing the damaged plastic sheets.
However, the private supplier based in Paro said it supplied the material as per the quoted specification adding that the damage could be because the farmers failed to set it up properly.
Regarding the plastic sheet replacement, the firm said it will provide it only if its main supplier based in China provides the plastic replacement.
Trashigang district supplied 82 sets of Greenhouses last year to farmers on a cost-sharing basis.
The Commercial Agriculture and Resilient Livelihoods Enhancement Programme (CARLEP) funded the project worth around Nu 6 M.
Sonam Darjay, Trashigang
Edited by Phub Gyem
