A Flower Group of Punakha’s Goenshari Gewog has faced a significant challenge in drying and processing flower and other raw materials due to the lack of a proper drying facility in the community. However, this problem is expected to be resolved as the flower group recently acquired a new drying processing unit.
The group cultivates three kinds of colourful organic edible flowers, such as cornflowers and calendula on nearly an acre of two leased lands. One of the farms is an EU-Certified farm since 2021.
They plant the flowers in August and harvest them from March onwards. The flowers are sorted and dried in the drying machine.
The group works closely with Druk Meto in Thimphu and supplies their flowers to them.
Druk Meto is a food processing unit that guarantees a market for organic flowers and other crops produced by Dragchhukha Flower Group and other farmers in the community. Druk Meto processes over ten varieties of food products, which are sold in local markets as well as international markets in Switzerland and Australia.
To address challenges faced by the group to dry the flowers, a new processing unit was opened recently in the community.
This house is equipped with two drying machines, worth Nu 1.8 M and was constructed with the financial support of Society Switzerland Bhutan.
“With the opening of the drying processing unit here, it will become more convenient for us. Earlier, our vegetables used to get damaged during transportation to Thimphu. For example, when we sent tree tomatoes in bulk, they would often get damaged. Additionally, vegetables would be spoiled during transportation, resulting in extra expenses for us,” said Choki, a member of the flower group.
The Dragchhukha Flower Group not only produces flowers but also benefits the farmers in the community.
They collect vegetables from the farmers and send them along with flowers to Thimphu. Farmers no longer have to take their vegetables to the market.
Around 20 households in the chiwog benefit from the flower group. Today, four women are working in the group.
“The processing unit needs a lot of mushroom, tomato, and garlic. The farmers can bring as many of these ingredients as possible and give them to the group. The group will then dry them accordingly. Likewise, they can grow more coriander and supply it to us, we can easily dry them here at the facility. I believe that this will create a great opportunity to generate income for the group and the farmers in the community,” added Choki.
Since its establishment in 2018, the Dragchhukha Flower Group has been producing an average of 50 to 60 kilograms of flowers annually.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sonam Pem
