A lone farmer in Samdrup Jongkhar tried his hand at making vermicompost in 2020. Two years since then, his business is yet to pick momentum as many people in the district are unaware of it. Vermicompost is a product of the decomposition process using earthworms to make organic waste into manure.
Forty-three-year-old Tshering Gyelpo from Dewathang operates the vermicompost unit.
To make vermicompost, he uses cow dung mixed with grasses. And he pours that mixture inside the composting pit for earthworms to feed on. It takes about three months to convert the mixture into manure.
But in the last two years, Tshering sold only about 500 kilograms of manure. Of it, 400 kilograms were sold recently. Selling vermicompost is an alternate source of income for Tshering.
“Earlier, people did not know about it. But now people are aware of it and I have received many orders,” said Tshering Gyelpo.
A kilogram of vermicompost earns him Nu 20.
Tshering set up the unit with support from the agriculture ministry.
Vermicompost is rich in nutrition and makes the soil fertile for cultivation.
As the business grows gradually, Tshering plans to make more vermicompost this time for winter vegetable growers.
Kinley Wangchuk, SamdrupJongkhar
Edited by Tshering Zam
