In recent years, farmers of Samarchhu chiwog under Tsenda-Gang Gewog in Dagana started venturing into mass chilli production. And this year, the pandemic has triggered more farmers into growing winter chilli on a commercial scale. Locals say earlier they use to buy chillies from neighbouring Indian towns. It is around two hours drive from Samarchhu to reach some of the neighbouring Indian towns just crossing Lhamoi Dzingkha Dungkhag, which shares a border with India.
24-year-old Bimal Subba decided to stay in the village after completing class ten last year and working on his father’s fallow lands. And he cleared off 1.5 acres of land to start the mass chilli cultivation.
He grew chilli on 30 decimal of land, last year. But from this year, due to import restrictions and after the government identified chilli as one of the mandatory crops, he has increased it to 1.5 acres. Bimal Subba said “I had the interest to start farming when I was in the school itself. But I studied till class ten because qualification matters a lot even in farming. We can do farming diligently if we are literate.”
This year, he is expecting around 5000 kilograms of chilli from his 1.5 acres land. He even expects a better market this time amid the pandemic. “Earlier, we had market issues due to the import of chilli from India but at the moment we can sell it easily by earning a good price as well”, said Bimal.
And the story is no different for other farmers in the Chiwog. In the past, the farmers grow chilli for self-consumption only but the situation is different this year. Growing chilli has become a lucrative business. Aita Man Limboo, a farmer from the Chiwog said “This is my third year growing chilli and it is a profitable business. I could manage school expenses for my children by selling chillies. This year, I have grown chilli in one acre of land and I will grow the spice in some more decimals. I am planning to buy a power tiller if I get a good income from the chillies this year.” Another farmer, Sita Maya Rai said “We get the only Nu 40-50 from per kilogram of ginger but a kilogram of chilli fetches Nu 150. The income from chilli helps us to meet household needs and schools expenses for my children.”
The Samarchhu chiwog is identified as one of the most potential areas for chilli cultivation. The gewog agriculture extension office is providing technical support along with modern farming equipment and free seeds to the farmers.
Bikash Tamang, agriculture extension officer of the gewog said “We are growing chilli in around 40-acres of land this year in Tsenda-Gang Gewog alone. We focus on growing more chillies here because the area has huge potential for chilli production. Farmers here are interested in growing chilli and we have grown chilli in around seven acres of land this year.”
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
