Phub Dem

Farm Machinery and Corporation Limited (FMCL) is growing broccoli, cauliflowers and tomatoes, which are expected to hit the market in February.

FMCL, after receiving Nu 31 million (M) of the 46M Economic Contingency Plan budget, focused on paddy cultivation in the southern dzongkhags.

FMCL’s programme director, Jitshen Wangchuk, said after paddy harvest in the southern dzongkhags, the farms were currently growing vegetables such as tomatoes, broccolis and cauliflowers.

He said FMCL farms grew vegetables and cereals to supplement farmers and  ultimate vegetables that farmers do not grow.

He said the farms meet the demand of their respective dzongkhags first and then plan to distribute the excess to Thimphu and other dzongkhags.

For instance, FMCL sells tomatoes from Phaithang farm in Trongsa. “Some farms have already harvested and sold the vegetables during the season,” he said.

Chief Executive officer of FMCL, Karma Thinley, said movement restriction due to lockdown in dzongkhags impeded agricultural works.

He said farms in southern dzongkhags were growing vegetables on a commercial scale, but there are challenges.

He said that frost had damaged tomatoes in Trongsa four days ago. “We grew tomatoes in 17 greenhouses.”

With the advantage of large plots of land, machinery and human resource, the corporation was involved in commercial production of agriculture products.

Karma Thinley said, the corporation was ready to supply rice.

Jitshen Wangchuk said that FMCL was involved in the revival of fallow land. “Starting this year, we will focus fully on commercial farming.”