This will address meat self-sufficiency, trade deficit, and forex reserve
YK Poudel
Bhutan imports huge quantities of meat every year—particularly chicken, pork, and fish—which contributes to the country’s yawning trade deficit, depleting the country’s limited foreign currency reserve.
In recent years, the import of livestock commodities has significantly increased, touching Nu 3.691 billion in 2023 against exports of Nu 0.0429 billion the same year.
During the seventh Meet-the-Press yesterday, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Younten Phuntsho, said that the demand for and import of meat is expected to further increase with increasing population and expanding market in the country.
Lyonpo said that to tackle this issue, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s (MoAL) plan was to enhance domestic meat production through large-scale commercial farms.
“For a faster turnover, domestic production of meat through commercialisation of poultry, piggery and fishery farming will be prioritised in potential dzongkhags with high social acceptance,” Lyonpo said.
The MoAL aims to increase chicken production from 20 percent to 50 percent over the next five years, increasing production from 1,165 metric tonnes (MT) to 2,000 MT.
Three large broiler farms will be established in Tsirang, Samdrupjongkhar, and Samtse, each housing 10,000 birds and producing 260 MT of chicken annually.
Lyonpo said that the chicken processing plants in Samtse and Dagana will ensure seamless processing and distribution of chicken. “This will be supported through the price guarantee scheme (PGS) under the ESP programme, with Bhutan Livestock and Development Corporation Limited being the aggregator and distributor along with other private sector entities,” Lyonpo said.
For pork, the goal is to boost domestic production from 30 percent to 60 percent, with the aim to increase annual production to 1,845 MT from 1,590 MT.
The ministry plans to produce 1,228 breeding pigs annually for private contract breeders.
In addition, large-scale fattening farms will be set up in Dagana, Sarpang, Samtse, and Samdrupjongkhar.
Currently, there are over 400 private contract pig breeders.
The Swine Artificial Insemination programme will also be initiated to assist farmers.
Further, large-scale fattening farms with a capacity for 200 pigs each will be established in Dagana, Sarpang, Samtse, and Samdrupjongkhar, collectively producing 44.8 MT of pork annually. These operations will be supported by a high-tech pig breeding farm, with 240 sows, located in either Samtse or Samdrupjongkhar.
The ministry is also addressing the threat of African Swine Fever, a significant risk to the country’s pork production. Lyonpo said that efforts are underway to enhance farm biosecurity and implement robust disease control measures.
The MOAL has plans to enhance fish production, with a goal of 250 MT within five years, up from the current 43 MT.
“The government fishery farms will strive to produce 1.18 million fingerlings annually to meet this target,” Lyonpo said. “In the fiscal year 2024-25, a total of 1.71 million fingerlings will be supplied in 12 potential fishery dzongkhags.”
Challenges such as limited water resources and farm management issues will be addressed with innovative techniques like BioFloc fish culturing and recirculating aqua-culture systems.
Lyonpo said that 154 defunct fish farms in six dzongkhags will be revived. “Chirup commercial farms will be promoted in Dagana and Samdrupjongkhar with a capacity to produce 40 MT.”
However, Lyonpo said that safe and hygienic meat production will be prioritised with appropriate technical support and value chain development.
State-owned enterprises under the ESP will establish piggery cold chains and revitalise fish ponds, with the target to produce and supply 151.5 MT of pork, 112 MT of chicken, and 29.8 MT of fish.
To support these initiatives, the government has introduced a concessional credit line and a reinvigoration fund of Nu 5.3 billion, designed to enhance access to financial services and boost production capabilities.