With the border gates sealed and neighbouring Indian state of Assam under lockdown, there are no green chillies in the market in Gelegphu.
The acute shortage of green chillies in Gelephu is rare. Despite a ban on import of green chillies from India, the markets there are normally flooded with what vegetable vendors claim to be local chillies.
However, the non-availability of chillies in the market following the closure of the border gates and strict surveillance along the borders, says otherwise.
The vegetable vendors in Gelegphu refused to comment on the practice of importing chillies from across the border. They said the shortage of green chilies was due to insufficient supply from local farmers. Some of them also said, regular suppliers were refusing to supply in Gelephu as they were fetching a better price for chillies in Thimphu.
The price for local green chilies in Gelegphu Vegetable market is fixed at Nu 200 per kilogram by local authorities.
While it is unclear when local residents will be able to find green chillies once again in their markets, the alternative for now is dry red chillies. The red chillies imported from India prior to the border closure are available in abundance, although at an increased price of Nu.280 per kg.
Karma Wangdi
