Many farms in Bhutan are either not
cultivated, semi-cultivated by aging farmers or poorly cultivated by care
takers.
Many farm owners are financially
capable to make investment in their farms but the question arises as who will
manage the farm.
Youths are showing their back to the
farms simply because profitability is low.
Farmers are not using technologies to increase labor productivity and hence they continue to practice low input subsistence farming.
The input cost are exceedingly high. For instance a farmer in India across the border pays Rs. 350/= to Rs. 400/= for a 50 kg bag of Urea or Single Superphosphate (SSP) in Jalpaiguri district (at Falakata), while a Bhutanese farmer pays Nu. 895/= for the same bag of fertilizers.
In India the green house is subsidized to the extent of 50 to 75%. In Bhutan there is no subsidy. The cost of green house is very high as 20% custom duty and 10% sales tax is levied on the actual cost of green house.
Farmers are not using technologies to increase labor productivity and hence they continue to practice low input subsistence farming.
The input cost are exceedingly high. For instance a farmer in India across the border pays Rs. 350/= to Rs. 400/= for a 50 kg bag of Urea or Single Superphosphate (SSP) in Jalpaiguri district (at Falakata), while a Bhutanese farmer pays Nu. 895/= for the same bag of fertilizers.
In India the green house is subsidized to the extent of 50 to 75%. In Bhutan there is no subsidy. The cost of green house is very high as 20% custom duty and 10% sales tax is levied on the actual cost of green house.
Vermicompost and bio-organic manure to practice organic farming is not allowed to import. As such constraints for taking up
agriculture as an enterprise are many more.
Until we bring down the cost of production
technologies and inputs, and thereby bring down the cost
of production vis-à-vis increase profitability, desiring
youths to take up agriculture will be a wild goose chase.
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