𝐅𝐌𝐂𝐋 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝

…𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬

By Leki Chungdon

The Farm Machinery Corporation Limited (FMCL) has begun harvesting sesame at its Nitchula farm in Dagana, with an expected yield of around 4.5 metric tonnes this season. The harvest marks another milestone in FMCL’s ongoing efforts to promote sesame cultivation and strengthen domestic edible oil production in Bhutan. Over the past few years, the corporation has steadily invested in improving farming practices and oil processing while addressing challenges related to scale, productivity, and market development.

Officials said the initiative is aimed not only at increasing farm output but also at laying the foundation for large-scale sesame oil production within the country. By developing the full value chain from cultivation to processing, FMCL hopes to reduce Bhutan’s dependence on imported edible oils. The project has also created employment opportunities for the local community in Dagana, particularly during planting and harvesting seasons, contributing to rural livelihoods and skills development. With the current harvest underway, FMCL remains optimistic that continued investment in oilseed crops such as sesame will support the country’s broader goals of self-reliance, food security, and agricultural diversification.

The head of the Contract Commercial Farm (CCF) under FMCL in Paro said several key factors contributed to the expected sesame yield of 4.5 metric tonnes this season, representing a significant improvement compared to previous years. According to him, one of the primary reasons for the increased yield was timely sowing, which ensured optimal crop establishment.

In addition, hybrid black sesame seeds sourced from India were used, as quality sesame seeds are currently unavailable within Bhutan. He noted that favourable field conditions this season, including the absence of wildlife disturbances and the lack of disease outbreaks, also played a crucial role in supporting healthy crop growth.

As a result of these combined factors, sesame production at the farm increased by approximately 33.33 percent compared to the previous season.

Despite this encouraging performance, he highlighted several challenges that continue to limit the scaling up of sesame cultivation. Climate variability remains a major concern, affecting crop predictability and yields. The lack of a comprehensive pest and disease management system poses further risks, while human-wildlife conflict, particularly involving elephants, goats, peacocks, wild boars, and deer, remains a persistent threat. In addition, labour shortages continue to constrain farm operations, especially during peak agricultural periods.

He further pointed out that oil processing remains a major bottleneck. At present, there is no oil milling or filtration facility at the Nitchula CCF, despite nearly 60 acres of black sesame currently under cultivation. The absence of nearby processing facilities forces the farm to rely on external options, which are both limited and costly.

Establishing an in-house oil processing unit would require significant investment, as the purchase of milling and filtration machinery entails very high capital costs and would add substantial overhead expenses to the company. Moreover, sesame oil extraction is a labour-intensive and technically demanding process. Additional constraints include inadequate fencing and limited irrigation infrastructure.

Given these limitations, he said FMCL currently has no plans to expand sesame cultivation to other locations. Instead, the company aims to use the initiative strategically to support interested farmers by ensuring access to quality sesame seeds. FMCL plans to encourage farmer participation through an aggregation approach, which would help improve production efficiency and strengthen market access in the long term. If farmer interest increases, the company also intends to venture into sesame oil processing, branding, and marketing.

At present, FMCL is not planning further expansion of sesame cultivation within its own farms, as the company is focusing on aggregating and promoting six priority crops. He added that the absence of dedicated government funding has further constrained efforts to scale up sesame cultivation. While FMCL continues to support farmers at the grassroots level through aggregation initiatives, no immediate investments are being made in processing facilities. However, he noted that there are plans to install an oil processing machine in the future, in line with the company’s broader objective of developing processing capacity, particularly for peanut oil.

Another official from FMCL said that the current capacity for sesame oil processing in Dagana remains very limited, largely due to low levels of awareness within local communities about sesame oil production and its potential economic value.

He noted that the absence of adequate knowledge, skills, and processing facilities has constrained local engagement in value addition. He further observed that local market demand for sesame oil is currently weak, as consumers are either unfamiliar with the product or rely on alternative cooking oils that are more readily available. As a result, both production and processing remain underdeveloped in the district.

He added that without increased awareness, market promotion, and support for processing infrastructure, it would be difficult to scale up sesame oil production or stimulate stronger demand at the local level.

A farmer from Nitchula said that sesame cultivation has so far generated only marginal employment and income opportunities for local communities. He explained that farmers are largely engaged on a seasonal basis, mainly during the harvesting period, which limits their ability to earn a stable or sustained income from the crop.

Outside the harvest season, there is little involvement for farmers, resulting in long gaps without work or income related to sesame production. He further pointed out that the lack of structured skill development and technical training has constrained broader participation. According to him, farmers have not been adequately trained in modern cultivation practices, post-harvest handling, or value addition, making it difficult for them to improve productivity or diversify their roles within the sesame value chain. This absence of capacity-building support has prevented sesame farming from becoming an attractive or reliable livelihood option for the wider farming population.

The farmer also expressed concern over the long-term viability of sesame as a sustainable crop in Dagana. He noted that only an estimated five to six percent of farmers are currently engaged in sesame cultivation in a consistent and sustainable manner, while the majority remain hesitant due to uncertain returns and limited market assurance. Without targeted interventions such as regular training, stronger market linkages, and year-round employment opportunities, he said sesame farming is unlikely to provide long-term economic security for farmers in the district.