Agriculture: The farmers of Dorona gewog in Dagana prefer growing cash crops over vegetables.

Most farmers grow citrus and cardamom.

The 12 households from Nimtola chiwog sold 2,800kgs of dry cardamom this year and fetched about Nu 2.2 million.

The farmers say that being the furthest gewog and being mostly cut off from the market during monsoon, they grow just enough vegetables for their families.

A 48-year-old farmer, Sonam, said that even if they grow vegetables on a large scale, there aren’t many customers.

“We don’t have options other than to grow cardamom and citrus. Vegetables and dairy and poultry products have no market. Our livelihood is solely dependent on cash crops,” said Sonam. He added that for cardamom and citrus, farmers need not worry about the market.

Agriculture minister Yeshey Dorji said that for a gewog like Dorona, a farm shop would provide a huge advantage. Lyonpo said that since the gewog remains disconnected from the town in the monsoon months, a farm shop would be useful as it would supply the villagers with essential items. Lyonpo added that the farmers could bring their dairy, farm and other products to the farm shop for sale.

A farm shop is expected to be built in the gewog by May this year.

The agriculture ministry has provided green houses and has also promised to send 10 citrus saplings each for the 30 households in Mamedthang chiwog.

The 2,355 people of Dorona gewog own 335 acres of dry land and 64 acres of wetland.

Yeshey Dema | Dagana

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