Going by the reports coming in from the auction yard in Phuentshogling, it is a season of despair for the potato farmers. Just a few weeks ago, potato growers cried foul over thousands of kilogrammes of the tuber rotting at the auction yard while waiting to be auctioned. Before they could reel from that situation, the farmers encountered another challenge; unable to fetch the expected price. Statistics from the Food Corporation of Bhutan also show that the prices of potatoes were much higher last year.
Farmers taking potatoes to the auction yard in Phuentshogling are worried that the return from the sale of potatoes won’t even meet the expenditures incurred in cultivating and taking the harvest to the FCB auction yard.
The average rate of potato per quintal this month is just over Nu 1,200.
Last year, around this time, they could fetch more than Nu 2,300 per quintal, on average.
Last month, the rate was more than Nu 1,500. In September last year, the average rate was nearly Nu 2,500.
“We put in a lot of hard work into growing potatoes. All the family members work in the field despite the unforgiving weather. In the end, we do not fetch a good price here. In addition, all expenses including accommodation and food are increasing every year,” said Kumbu Tshewang, a farmer from Gangtey.
“We could not fetch the expected rate. This year is the worst. The government says that youth should return to the villages and start farming. They tell unemployed youth to take up agricultural work but this is the reality,” said Nim Dorji, another farmer from Gangtey.
“A few years ago, we used to earn good price. We do not understand why. Some people directly take the produce to India. We do not know anything and we have to bring it here at the FCB,” said Wangda Dorji, who is also a farmer from Gangtey.
“This year, the rate is very low. In the past, no matter how bad the rate was, it at least covered the vehicle charges, and food and lodging expenses. This year, I do not think we can even meet the transportation charges. Also, I feel the Indian counterparts are getting the potatoes they want directly from private individuals. So, they do not care much about the potatoes that are here,” said Pemba, a farmer from Phobjikha.
However, the FCB officials said that it all depends on the market situation.
“About 60 per cent of our potatoes go to Nepal. Usually their potato supply ends by June. But we heard that in Nepal the supply is still there. Not only this, we also heard that in India too they have potatoes stored in cold storage in the market,” said Tshering Dorji, the Regional Director of FCB.
This year, the rates were comparatively better in the initial months.
In June, it was nearly Nu 2,000 per quintal, which gradually dropped to about Nu 1,600 by August.
Without any measures to solve the declining price issue, farmers say they feel discouraged to continue farming if the market situation does not improve.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Phub Gyem
