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  • From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Selling Vegetables in Bhutan
  • Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 15:44:33 -0500


Bhutan is probably as near to an unspoiled paradise as is
left on this earth (with the possible exception of a few
South Pacific islands). They've been quite careful to limit
development, limit the number of tourists per year, etc. The
Bhutanese King has proclaimed that 'Gross national happiness
is more important than gross national product.' What a
concept! :)

Here's how veggies are sold in one of the Bhutanese
towns..Gelephu is neither the largest town, nor the capital.
Thimpu is both.

Pat

---------------
Vending vegetables in Gelephu (Bhutan)
Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006, @ 00:48:43 EST

Home news 13 February 2006- If you are in border town
Gelephu and happen to visit its weekend vegetable market you
will at once notice a conspicuous change: Bhutanese vendors
have completely replaced the Indian vendors from across the
border.

According to the Gelephu residents, Bhutanese vendors took
over the market in September 2004, after the bomb blast as
security was tightened at the border.

About 60 Bhutanese vendors comprising local Gelephu
residents and wives of police personnel, buy vegetables from
wholesale Indian suppliers to retail at the weekend market.

However, people point out that the presence of Bhutanese
vendors in the business is only for the sake of
participation.

“Indirectly or directly it is still the Indian vendors
running the show,” says Jaganath Adhikari, who manages one
of the licensed vegetable shops in town. “Profit margins are
all set by them and the playing field is always smoother on
their side.” This is primarily because all vegetables come
from India and almost all the suppliers are Indians.

“A couple Bhutanese did try at mass supplying by buying from
the Indian border towns but they failed because once the
Indian sellers know you are a Bhutanese they hike the
prices,” says Jaganath Adhikari.

Most of the Indian vegetable suppliers buy their vegetables
from the West Bengal towns of Falakata, Siliguri,
Kamakhyaguri and Dhupguri. Falakata supplies fresh
vegetables, Dhupguri potato, and Kamakhyaguri tomato.

Suppliers buy onion, garlic, dry Indian chilly, and all
kinds of fruits from Siliguri.

Last week a kilogramme of beans was sold for Nu. 30, onions
for Nu. 15, tomatoes for Nu. 10, chilies for Nu. 20,
potatoes for Nu. 8 to 10, garlic for Nu. 60 and cabbage for
Nu. 5.

Every Friday afternoon about 10 trucks carrying about 20
tonnes of vegetables arrive from across the border. Trucks
are briskly unloaded and the vegetables distributed among
the Bhutanese vendors.

During peak season a truck ferries about Nu. 90,000 worth of
vegetables and the smaller pick-up trucks about Nu. 30,000
worth, according to an Indian supplier. Each truck brings
about 25 to 30 varieties of vegetables and fruits.

Chozang Dorji, who has been running a licensed vegetable
shop in town for the past five years, however, does not
depend on the Indian suppliers. He travels every week to
Falakata, Barpeta, Barobisha and even Shillong to do his own
shopping.

“Shillong products are similar to the Bhutanese in quality
and taste,” he says. “The peas, carrots, beans and radishes
are of better quality.”

Chozang Dorji's daily sale fluctuates. On the weekend sales
average about Nu. 2,000. “Over all vegetable vending is not
really a big profit business,” he says.

He added that transporting vegetables via the Indian highway
was a major hassle. “We have to pay a small cut at every
checkpoint till we reach Bhutan,” he says. “In addition we
have to pay the 'goonda tax' to thugs when our trucks are
stopped needlessly.”

According to Babul Pal, 32, who has been in supply business
for the past 15 years, the total bribe figure by the time
trucks arrive in Bhutan averages about Nu. 2,000 for trucks
and Nu. 1,000 for the smaller pick-up trucks. Entering
Bhutan is another hassle.

“With all these risks our Bhutanese buyers at times even
don't pay us on time,” he complains.

Another reason that hikes up vegetable prices, according to
the suppliers, is the numerous middlemen involved in the
whole process.

The Gelephu vendors also draw their supply of fresh
Bhutan-grown vegetables from Tsirang, Thimphu, Punakha and
Gelephu itself.

“It is roughly a six-month season. From December to May we
get our supply from Indian towns and from June to November
from Thimphu,” says Chozang Dorji, adding that he makes
better profits from the Thimphu supply even though the
effort involved is more.

Most vendors say that buyers usually seek Bhutan-grown
vegetables although the cost is slightly higher. “They say
Bhutanese vegetables are tastier and more natural,” says
Chozang Dorji.

During the Thimphu season Chozang Dorji travels to Thimphu
on Thursday, shops on Friday, and is back in Gelephu on
Saturday morning with a fresh load of vegetables.

The summer supply from Indian towns often gets spoilt before
reaching Gelephu because of the intense heat, and,
therefore, a lot is simply disposed off or thrown away as
cattle feed.

Permo, 32, a mother of nine children, has been doing petty
vending two days a week for past one year. She buys
wholesale from suppliers and her profit, with the highest
sale in a day, is about Nu. 100.

“The best thing about vending is that at least we don't have
to buy vegetables. We have plenty of leftovers to see us
through the week,” she says, adding she even gives away some
leftovers to her friends.

Krishna Maya, 35, who has been vending for past two years,
complains that today there are more sellers than buyers in
Gelephu.

“Every one tries his or she hand at vending and quits just
as quickly once he or she realizes that it is almost an
unprofitable venture,” she says. “Lots of my friends have
given up after losses.”

Observers say that Bhutanese in general lack experience,
sell at high prices and lack simple business attitude.

“With Bhutanese vendors we can hardly bargain,” says a
Gelephu resident. “If you start asking for bargains they say
'take it or leave it', and most of the time we have no
choice but buy at whatever prices they sell for.”

Ramanand Sahani and family, from Dharbanga in Bihar and the
only licensed Indian-run vending shop in Gelephu, claim that
they sell about six tonnes of vegetables every week. The
family owns a pick-up truck and visits towns and farms
across the border twice a week.

He says that profits are better in winter than in summer
since vegetables remain fresh longer.

Meanwhile, the Thursday vegetable market at the border town
in Dadghari is equally popular among both Bhutanese and
Indians. Amongst others, Dadghari boasts a better and
fresher supply of all kinds of meat that is not available
easily within Gelephu.

“Prices are cheaper and varieties wider in Dadghari,” says
Pushpa Sharma, who doesn't miss the Dadghari shopping at any
cost. “The money I use to buy a basketful of vegetables in
Gelephu fetches me twice the amount in Dadghari. Besides,
you can bargain.”

By Gopilal Acharya in Gelephu

From: the Bhutanese newspaper http://www.kuenselonline.com/

----------------------------
--
Northern Pennsylvania

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  • [Market-farming] Selling Vegetables in Bhutan, Pat Meadows, 02/14/2006

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