Agency: On 7th November, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) inaugurated the Farm Machinery Corporation Limited (FMCL) Aggregation Program in Zomlimthang, Guma Gewog, Punakha. The initiative, part of the Price Guarantee Scheme (PGS) funded by the Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP), is set to update the collection, processing, and marketing of six priority crops from regions across Bhutan.
This new program aims to ensure a stable market for farmers, boost domestic production, and reduce dependency on imports.
The FMCL CEO, Wangda Dukpa, said that the program would focus on six staple crops: soybeans, peanuts, rice, wheat, maize, and quinoa. He emphasized that one of the primary goals is to provide a deserving price to farmers.
He said, “To achieve this, FMCL will consult directly with farmers to understand the prices they typically receive and then work with the ESP Secretariat to set and endorse fair buying rates. Our idea is to pay a deserving price to the farmers. When we also fix the price, we will consult with the ESP Secretariat, put it up, and they endorse the price.”
The CEO said that once FMCL purchases the crops from farmers, the harvested produce will be transported to FMCL warehouses equipped with milling facilities. Currently, there are three warehouses operating in Bajothang (Wangduephodrang), Chhuzagang (Sarpang), and Phuntshothang (Samdrupjongkhar), where grains like rice and wheat will be processed.
Additionally, FMCL has plans to establish five more warehouses in Bumthang, Mongar, Samtse, Paro, and Trashigang, bringing the total to eight. The expansion of these facilities aligns with FMCL’s broader goal to ease logistics and enhance distribution.
“The reason behind having these [warehouses] in three dzongkhags for now, and in the future in five more dzongkhags, is because FCBL headquarters and regional offices are based [in these areas], making it easier for them to plan the logistics,” he said.
FMCL intends to sell the processed produce in bulk to the Food Corporation of Bhutan Ltd (FCBL), which will then retail the products using its established nationwide marketing network.
