As people age, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to perform physically demanding farming tasks. Nevertheless, at 61 years old, Yeshi Penjor from Jomtshang village at Udzorong Gewog in Trashigang has shifted his focus to mango cultivation since 2018. He is one of the first individuals to cultivate mangoes on a commercial scale with saplings provided by the gewog office. With his physical strength waning, he found fruit farming to be a more manageable and suitable way to earn some cash.
Located in the picturesque Jomtshang village, Yeshi’s farm has approximately 130 Langra mango trees. Each year, he harvests around 100 to 150 kilograms of mangoes, earning an average of about Nu 15,000 from his produce. This marks his third year of earning income from mango cultivation.
His initial earnings came in 2021, three years after planting the trees when he made about Nu 18,000.
Yeshi’s wife and father assist him with the fruit plantation and other tasks, while his three children work in different locations.
After harvesting the ripe mangoes, Yeshi buries them in dried rice stalks to ensure proper ripening before taking them to the market. He primarily sells his mangoes within Trashigang.
Despite occasional challenges caused by diseases during fruiting, Yeshi has found mango cultivation to be more manageable and suited to his age compared to other farming works.
Yeshi said, “If we were to grow other crops like maize, we would face constant threats from wild animals such as monkeys and wild boars, requiring vigilant day-and-night guarding. With mango cultivation, we don’t have to guard our orchards during nighttime. That way we only have to take care of monkeys during daytime. As I grow older, working in the field becomes increasingly challenging. Given my age, I believe that mango cultivation is a more manageable option, and I hope to earn a stable income and support myself during my later years.”
A kilogram of mango typically sells for Nu 150 to 200, and this year Yeshi earned around Nu 12,000 from his mango harvest.
In addition to mangoes, he has also begun cultivating pineapples and other fruits to supplement his income. While his production is increasing each year, he faces challenges with fruit diseases during the fruiting season.
He said, “I have planted around 20 new mango saplings, with some being one year old and others two years old, though none of them are bearing fruit yet. If any of these trees die, I will replant more mango saplings.
The gewog agriculture extension supervisor noted that inadequate management practices is causing fruit diseases and damages in the geowg. There are other farmers who also cultivate mangoes on a smaller scale.
To address the issue of losing fruits to diseases, the gewog office has allocated funds this year to provide orchard management training for farmers.
The combined efforts of dedicated farmers and the proactive measures from the gewog office hold the promise of farmers like Yeshi enjoying the fruits of their labour for years to come.
Sonam Darjay, Trashigang
Edited by Kipchu
