Monthly Archives: December, 0

The hot issue of chilli is told, retold and discussed all the time these days. While the import is banned since 2016, Bhutan is yet to produce sufficiently to meet the demand. Cashing in on the supply shortage some are even trying to smuggle the spice in. The price of chilli has soared as high as Nu 800 a kilogram in the past few days, even then the supply is running out from the source. However, farmers in Tsirang are putting in the effort to produce chillies ahead of the usual time. It is expected to hit the market by March.

Many farmers are venturing into commercial vegetable farming amid the pandemic. Similarly, farmers of Kheri in Dewathang Gewog under Samdrup Jongkhar started growing vegetables on commercial scale. However, water shortage becomes a challenge for them.

Most Bhutanese have a weakness for areca nut, popularly known as doma. It is a dessert as well as snacks although health officials discourage chewing of doma which is often linked to the cases of oral and stomach cancers in the country. And many avid consumers of doma across the country saw the price hitting new high during the nationwide lockdown. In Bumthang 80 pieces (one pon) of the peeled nut are sold at around Nu 800, which is equivalent to the price of a 25 kg imported rice. However, with the relaxation of lockdown restrictions, prices are gradually falling, yet people still have to pay a hefty amount for the stimulant.

With the Education Ministry deciding not to redistribute the students to low-risk districts, parents and students in Phuentshogling are finally relieved. Earlier, they were worried about the relocation of Classes VII and above students in line with the recommendation from the National Task Force as Phuentshogling is considered a high-risk area for COVID-19.

According to scientists from the US pharmaceutical company, Moderna’s COVID vaccine works against the new variants of Coronavirus found in the UK and South Africa. As per early laboratory tests, antibodies triggered by the vaccine can recognize and fight the new variants.

These days, the fresh green chillies from Chhudzergang and Dekidling Gewogs have started hitting the Gelegphu vegetable market. However, consumers are complaining of the soaring price. Gelegphu has been facing green chilli shortage for almost a month.

COVID-19 pandemic is the latest crisis facing the world. And this according to the latest Human Development Report is not the first and won't be the last unless humans reduce the immense pressure exerted on nature. The report suggests that it is time to make a change and work with nature and not against it. The 2020 Human Development Report was launched today.

The Education Ministry has decided to retain the students of classes VII and above of Phuentshogling Thromde and Chumithang Middle Secondary School in the same schools for this academic session. The ministry was to relocate some 2,400 students and teachers to other districts this year.

If anything has made livestock rearing difficult for the farmers in Bhutan, it is the challenges posed by the lack of fodder and animal nutrition feeds. Living off dairy products to achieve self-sufficiency, people in Trongsa are worried about the decline in dairy products.  14 households of Tashipokto and Dorji Goenpa of Nubi Gewog are now going to revive their land which was left fallow for over a decade and convert it into a mass pasture.

The road widening work along the Khuruthang-Bajo National Secondary Highway is currently facing a shortage of skilled manpower and procurement of construction materials. Widening works are expected to be complete by July this year but it might get delayed due to the lockdowns. The work began in April last year.