Govt pumps Nu 40 million from the Economic Stimulus Plan to revitalise the farm

Neten Dorji

Samrang, Samdrupjongkhar—Once plagued by setbacks and embroiled in political controversy, the sprawling 800-acre Integrated Livestock Production Division, formerly known as Samrang Mega Farm in Samdrup Jongkhar, is undergoing a quiet transformation with renewed efforts to revitalise its operations to bolster food self-sufficiency in the country.

The government has allocated Nu 40 million from the Economic Stimulus Plan for revitalisation of the farm, which include establishing a hatchery, parent stock sheds, and other upgrades.

Currently, the Integrated Livestock Production Division has a range of livestock farms—dairy, poultry, fishery and piggery. 

The farm is currently operating at 67 percent capacity, with plans for gradual expansion annually.

The dairy farm consists of a shed housing 67 Jersey cows, including 18 milking cows, six pregnant dry cows, 34 heifers, and nine calves.

With production varying between 120 litres of milk daily in summer and 80 litres in winter, the farm has begun selling raw milk to India. Previously, the milk was processed into butter and cheese for local markets.

“With the dairy farm, our main goal is to supply heifers to individuals interested in dairy farming,” a farm official said.

The farm’s poultry operation is also seeing growth, with 13,380 layer hens and 7,200 chicks housed in eight sheds. Each active shed produces approximately 1,260 eggs daily, which are sold to local dealers and retail shops across eastern Bhutan.

The farm is set to activate a state-of-the-art hatchery capable of producing 60,000 day-old-chicks (DOCs) per month. The hatchery was delayed due to lack of budget.

With fund support from the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), the hatchery will soon be operational, and supply broiler DOCs to farmers.

Aquaculture is another area of focus. While the farm’s 32 fishponds have the capacity to produce 65 metric tonnes (MT) of fish annually, only 15 ponds are operational due to water shortages.

Farm officials attribute the issue to coal-contaminated water sources but plans are underway to resolve the problem by mid-next year in collaboration with the local gewog administration.

The farm has also initiated a piggery project, starting with 100 sows, aiming to produce 128 MT of pork annually.

The farm will also support farmers in nearby communities with piglets to further support livestock development.

The farm initially began operations with poultry farm in 2015. By 2018, it had 123 cows, 15,000 hens, 138 goats, and 32 fishponds. However, frequent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, and water contamination disrupted its operations.

To ensure market demand for its products and sustain revitalisation efforts, the Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation has partnered with Gyalsung Academy and business owners in eastern dzongkhags.

There are 32 staff at the farm.

Given its location near the border area and its inclusion in the Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary, the farm faces significant challenges, particularly from human-wildlife conflict. Elephants frequently damage infrastructure, such as fences and sheds, while wild gaurs destroy fodder resources.

Samrang gewog in Samdrupjongkhar is located right next to an Indian town, which is also called Samrang.