We killed our Golden Goose

One of our most significant events this year is that of Bhutan’s exporting of eggs to India. A few years ago, we were importing them – in truckloads. This goes to show that we have the potential to grow and progress as a country, provided we put in a little more effort and work harder. Did you know, Bhutan today has 422,648 hens and produces 251,678 eggs a day?

In July 2016, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) banned the import of chilies from India reasoning that the laboratory tests conducted confirmed presence of pesticides. And right there was our opportunity to grow on our own. The news was like winning a lottery and it sure was a boon to many a Bhutanese chili growers, as they now had ready market san competition from cheap chilies from across the border.

Then came the ‘off season’. That is when the price of chilies unreasonably shot up as high as Nu. 300-400 per kg. It was unreasonable and daylight robbery, many people protested. And then people took to the social media. Newspapers, radio stations, national televisions were filled with nothing but chilies. “Can chilies bring down a government,” someone posted on Facebook. And then the authorities had to look for options in chilies from Kolkata, India.

And with that, we have lost our opportunity. The ban was an excellent opportunity for our farmers to grow and grow more. BAFRA’s ban of chilies was our golden goose. But now we killed it, for good. At this rate, we can never be self-sufficient. We will always need to import vegetables from India and more so in winters.

But Bhutan is not like India. We have places that stretch from 100 meters and rise to above 5,000 meters above the sea level. And such differences in elevation means we can grow vegetables throughout the year. Yes, even chilies can be grown all year around, in different places – south, east, west and central. That's the blessing we have in Bhutan. When it is the so-called ‘off- season’ in the south, it would be the right season for these vegetables in cooler regions, and vice-versa. Who knows just like our egg-story, our chilies may find their ways to India, too?

But now our farmers would not grow chilies more than they can consume as Bhutanese markets will be filled with cheaper options. Where is the incentive to grow more?

I hoped that the ban would trigger many good things in the country. But it is a lost opportunity now. Our greedy middlemen managed to kill our golden goose. These greedy people deserve all our praises!

But again, how can we blame them? Come to think of it, do they control the prices? It is the market forces. Higher the demand and lesser the supply – perfect combination – for higher prices of goods and services. Simple economics.

P.S: Pictures are from my friend Tharchen's collection ( www.tharchen.com)

When they are ready

The Ministry of Education discovered 890 'underage' children admitted in schools across the country in 2019. Thus, the ministry in May 2019 issued a notification revoking the admission for these children. Majority were in urban centres. Desperate, parents and the affected schools requested the government to intervene. They also requested the government to consider lowering the enrolment age to five years. Currently, in Bhutan a child can legally go to school only when s(he) is six years old. And that policy was strictly followed a few years ago to the extent that some schools refused to admit children even if they were short of a few weeks. So, parents, mostly in urban areas, resorted to faking their children's ages. Many parents were guilty of adding years onto their children's actual ages. However, most parents, we are told, managed to correct their 'mistakes' later. Faking a child's age was rampant...

The Vanishing Currency of a Bhutanese Village

Growing up in rural Bhutan, the richest people in the village often had very little cash. They were known as chukpo , 'the ones with cattle'. And no one asked how much money a person had in the bank. No one or only a countable few had bank accounts, anyway. Wealth was measured in fields, cattle, grains, and the ability to carry a family through the seasons. Cash existed, but it played only a small role. Most exchanges happened through barter. Rice for chillies, soya beans for Sichuan peppers, cheese for eggs. I still remember that a ball of homemade cheese was worth two fresh eggs. Nobody needed a calculator because people simply knew. The most remarkable part of the system was the exchange of labour. During sowing and planting seasons, families needed extra hands, yet labour was rarely paid in cash. If I spent three days helping on your farm, you spent three days helping on mine in return. No contract was needed to be signed. No money changed hands. Wealthier households so...

Community of Bhutanese Bloggers Conceived

And finally it happened. I must say that it was by far the most attended Bloggers Meet. In the past we had bloggers agree to attend and cancel at the very last minute. But on June 24, 2015 – almost 100% of bloggers, who confirmed came. I would like to thank everyone for keeping his/her words, especially those who had to come all the way from Wangdue or Paro. Thank you! 35 Bhutanese bloggers met in Thimphu. We were honored to have the presence of senior bloggers like Aue Yeshi Dorji and Dasho Sangay Khandu. The meeting assumed more significance because of their presence. Equally, we were happy to have many young bloggers in whom we see so much enthusiasm and potential. On top of many things that transpired during the Meet, one of the most significant outcomes was the unanimous decision reached to form a formal group of bloggers, a platform aimed at encouraging and inspiring more bloggers around the country. The members decided that we will call it Community of Bhutanese Blogger...

Ngawang Phuntsho

Search This Blog