𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐒𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲

…𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔, 𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 2024, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 90 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔. 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

By Kezang Choden

Bhutan’s reliance on imported food items continued to grow in 2024, raising alarms over food security and supply resilience, according to the Report of Agricultural Imports 2025 by the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC). Staple cereals, edible oils, dairy products, and livestock-based foods dominated the agricultural import basket, highlighting the country’s dependence on external markets, particularly India.

Analysis of the top fifteen imported agricultural commodities reveals that Bhutan remains heavily reliant on imports to meet domestic food requirements. India emerged as the primary source for almost all items, accounting for over 90 to 95 percent of total imports by both volume and value.

Rice was the single largest imported commodity, with 61,098 metric tonnes worth Nu. 2,910 million entering the country, sourced almost entirely from India. This underlines Bhutan’s dependence on external markets for a basic staple despite ongoing efforts to promote local rice cultivation. Maize imports reached 51,529 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 1,305 million, also primarily from India, reflecting challenges in achieving self-sufficiency in staple grain production.
Edible oils remained another major import category. Soya bean oil imports totaled 11,337 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 1,299 million, while imports of animal and vegetable fats reached 4,138 metric tonnes worth Nu. 462 million, both largely sourced from India.

Dairy products contributed significantly to Bhutan’s import expenditure. Milk and cream imports reached 13,237 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 1,050 million, while cheese and curd accounted for 1,585 metric tonnes worth Nu. 697 million. Milk powder, though imported in smaller quantities at 581 metric tonnes, recorded a high value of Nu. 226 million, mainly sourced from India and Malaysia. The rising demand for dairy products highlights the widening gap between domestic production and consumption.

Fish imports continued to increase, amounting to 2,710 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 515 million, primarily from India with additional imports from Thailand and Vietnam. Meat imports were also notable, with bovine meat at 1,296 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 362 million, and frozen chicken at 1,784 metric tonnes worth Nu. 293 million, reflecting limited domestic livestock production capacity.

Other significant imports included wheat flour, with 10,650 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 411 million; malt at 5,262 metric tonnes worth Nu. 235 million; lentils at 2,128 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 173 million; and betel leaves at 807 metric tonnes worth Nu. 206 million. Imports of onions and shallots totaled 4,496 metric tonnes valued at Nu. 199 million. While this trade relationship ensures accessibility and affordability, it exposes Bhutan to potential risks of supply disruptions, price fluctuations, and external shocks.

For many farmers in rural Bhutan, manpower shortages have become one of the biggest challenges in sustaining agricultural productivity. Among them is Susmita Gurung, a dedicated farmer from Samtse Dzongkhag, who continues to work tirelessly despite these hurdles. Susmita shared that she often struggles to manage farm work alone, especially when her husband is away for other income-generating activities.

“There is a shortage of manpower to work in the field. My husband works elsewhere and when he is away, it becomes very difficult for me to plough the field and carry out other heavy tasks,” she said.
Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic. She explained that road connectivity and market access in her area are relatively good, which allows her to sell her produce easily. However, the lack of appropriate farming tools remains a major limitation.

“If the government could support us with mini power tillers that are women-friendly, it would make our work much easier,” Susmita said, adding that such support would help women like her manage their farms more efficiently and increase productivity.
Seventy-two-year-old Kiba from Dagana Dzongkhag recalled a time when people relied solely on locally produced food. Today, she observes a stark change.

“Before, we used to consume only local products. Now, we depend mostly on imported items, and because of that, many people are getting sick,” she said. Kiba’s concern reflects a broader issue across rural Bhutan. As more families migrate from villages to towns in search of better opportunities, farmlands are left uncultivated, and homes remain empty. With fewer people engaged in farming, the production of local food has declined, forcing communities to rely heavily on imported goods.

This shift has raised not only economic concerns but also health worries among the older generation. She emphasized that promoting self-sufficiency in agriculture would not only reduce the nation’s import dependency but also ensure healthier diets for future generations.
Gyeltshen, a dairy farm owner from Trashigang Dzongkhag, shared concerns over the growing dependence on imported dairy products despite the availability of local alternatives.

He said that if consumers chose to buy only local dairy products, the import of foreign dairy goods would significantly reduce and local farmers would be encouraged to produce more. However, he pointed out that one of their major challenges is the low price they receive for milk.

“We are not getting a good price for our milk, and on top of that, the cost of cattle feed is very high,” Gyeltshen said. The feed for their cows has to be transported all the way from Gelephu, which adds a heavy financial burden on them.
He added that many dairy farmers in the dzongkhag lack access to advanced training and exposure opportunities.
“It would be very helpful if we could receive more advanced training and exposure on how to expand our farms. We have attended several trainings before, and those have helped us learn a lot, but we still need more practical guidance to grow,” he shared. Local dairy farming in Bhutan continues to face multiple hurdles such as high feed costs, limited technical support, and market competition from imported products. Farmers like Gyeltshen believe that with better government support, affordable feed supply, and advanced training, Bhutan could become more self-sufficient in dairy production and reduce dependence on imported products.

The heavy reliance on imported rice, edible oils, dairy, meat, and wheat flour reflects underlying vulnerabilities in the country’s food system. At the same time, these trends present opportunities for Bhutan to strengthen domestic production capacities in key areas such as cereals, pulses, oilseeds, livestock, fisheries, and horticulture. To build long-term food security and economic resilience, experts stress the need for policy measures that promote self-reliance, enhance value addition, and diversify import sources. Strengthening local agricultural productivity and investing in rural livelihoods will be crucial to reducing dependency and ensuring that Bhutan’s food system remains secure and sustainable.