MoAL is experimenting with the home production of cassava and Korean hybrid maize as substitute feed ingredients due to the high expenses of feed production and significant reliance on imports. During yesterday’s 13th meet-the-press session, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Younten Phuntsho discussed the initiative and the government’s continuous plan to improve livestock feed self-sufficiency. For these farmers to make a living and generate revenue, feed and other inputs are essential. Only five of Bhutan’s eleven feed mills, including Karma Feed, are now in operation. The daily requirement is 72 MT of feed, although these mills may produce up to 514 MT. Imported feed raw materials are essential to all domestic feed millers. When compared to Bhutanese-made raw materials, the imported ones are less expensive.
According to Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho, the high cost of producing cereal grains makes it difficult to produce all basic materials in sufficient quantities within the nation. The ministry looked into feed cost subsidies but concluded that the strategy was unsustainable and costly. Seven dairy farms and farmers’ organizations have received assistance from the livestock department in order to support farmers. Increased production of rice bran, wheat bran, soybean bran, maize, and other feed raw materials is another goal of the ministry. The objective is to address the volatility associated with the import of raw materials from exporting nations and provide feed firms with sustainable sources. To help with the sale of important commodities, the government has set aside Nu 500 million from the Economic Stimulus Plan under the PGS.
