𝐊𝐚𝐣𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬

…𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒗𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕

By Lhendup Wangmo

The Kaja Throm, a central farmers market in Thimphu, is increasingly becoming a vital platform for Bhutanese farmers and producers. Recent data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) reveals that 80 percent of vegetables and 84 percent of dried goods sold at the market are sourced locally. However, the same survey highlights a significant shortfall in locally grown fruits, with only 43 percent coming from Bhutan. The majority of fruits sold at the market are still imported.

The findings, based on a random vendor survey conducted in August during the peak vegetable season, reflect a positive trend in domestic agricultural resilience. Bhutan’s diverse agro-climatic zones support year-round vegetable production, contributing to the high share of locally grown produce. The dried goods sector also shows strength, with farmers not only growing for immediate consumption but also processing and preserving items such as chillies, mushrooms, and legumes. This adds value to rural products and supports national goals of food self-sufficiency and income generation for farming communities.

Despite these successes, the fruit supply chain is lagging behind. With 57 percent of fruits at the market still imported, the data points to gaps in production capacity, post-harvest infrastructure, and varietal availability. The Ministry regards this as a missed opportunity for Bhutanese orchard owners and is calling for targeted investment to address the shortfall. Meanwhile, Areca nut (known locally as doma) and betel leaf (pani) are sourced roughly equally from domestic and international suppliers, suggesting a competitive market that could favor local growers with appropriate support.

While Kaja Throm has proven successful in many areas, these mixed results underline the need for improved fruit production and better post-harvest systems to reduce reliance on imports. The report concludes that Bhutan is making steady progress toward food sovereignty, but fruit production must now become a national priority.
Several vendors shared their perspectives on this evolving local market.

Tshering Dema, a vegetable vendor from Paro with over five years of experience, described the shift toward local produce as gradual but promising. “A few years ago, I had to depend on imported onions and chilies. Now, I get most of it from local farmers, especially during summer and autumn. The Paro valley provides plenty of cabbage, broccoli, beans, and even tomatoes during the season. Customers are starting to ask specifically for Bhutanese-grown vegetables, which was not the case before. The taste is different; it is fresher, and you can feel it has not traveled for days in a truck.”

Dorji Gyeltshen, a vendor from Wangdue, expressed confidence in the domestic vegetable supply. “During peak months, I do not need to import anything. I get supplies from nearby dzongkhags such as Punakha and Tsirang. Potatoes, carrots, spinach- all are grown here. The highlands grow one thing and the lowlands another. It is like a natural cycle, and if we support it well, we can manage all year round. I have even stopped contacting my Indian supplier unless there is an emergency.”

Karma Yangzom, who manages her stall with her husband, emphasized the role of consumer preference in driving demand for local goods. “People are becoming more aware of what they eat. Many of my regular customers say they prefer local vegetables even if it costs a bit more, especially chilies. There was a time when no one cared; they just wanted it cheap. Now they ask, ‘Is it Bhutanese chili?’ I get mine from Haa and Sarpang depending on the season. It is more work, but worth it.”

Lhaba Wangdi, a vendor from Mongar, highlighted the advantage of Bhutan’s altitudinal diversity. “I bring vegetables from both high and low areas. In summer, I get cauliflower and beans from the highlands. In winter, I get radish and turnip from the lower valleys. That balance is our strength. If we can improve our storage and transport, we will not have to rely on imports even during off-seasons. For now, it still becomes difficult in lean months.”

Sonam Choden, who sells dried goods, noted the growing popularity of locally dried products. “I sell dried mushrooms from Bumthang, dried chili from Tsirang, and dried peas from Mongar, all from Bhutan. People like dried food because they can keep it longer, and it is easy to cook. I used to get imported daal but now farmers from the east are growing more pulses. I have noticed more urban customers wanting authentic Bhutanese dried products for gifts as well.”

Chimi Dema, who dries and packages her own produce, described how value addition has improved her livelihood. “Earlier, I just sold raw spinach and pumpkin. Now I dry them at home and pack them neatly. A packet sells for double the price and does not spoil. This has helped me earn more from the same amount of vegetables. I have even started drying green leaves and jackfruit. Bhutanese are beginning to appreciate dried foods again, especially in winter.”

Ngawang Dorji, a fruit vendor at the edge of the market, said he relies heavily on imports to meet customer demand. “If I do not bring bananas and apples from India, I will not sell anything. Bhutanese apples come only during a few months, and they are not enough. Storage is also a problem. Local fruits rot faster if not sold within two days. So I get pineapples, grapes, and pomegranates from across the border. It is more reliable, even if costlier. I wish we had better storage and packaging facilities here.”

Pema Lhamo, who sells a variety of fruits depending on the season, described the missed potential. “We have good peaches, plums, and apples but only for a short season. Most Bhutanese orchards do not grow enough or do not have access to the Thimphu market. If we had cold storage or better roads, maybe it would be different. When I bring fruits from Trashiyangtse and Dagana, the travel takes so long that half of them get bruised. So I end up depending on imports to keep up with demand.”

Kinley Wangmo, a longtime doma vendor, said she sells both imported and local doma to cater to different customers. “I get doma from Samdrup Jongkhar and Gelephu. Some of it is grown in Bhutan, some imported from Assam. Bhutanese doma is stronger and lasts longer but is more expensive. Younger customers go for the cheaper ones without asking, but older people always want Bhutanese doma. If the government supports local growers more, we can bring down prices and reduce imports.”

Sangay Dorji, who owns a small stall near the main entrance, emphasized the importance of competitive pricing. “Right now, I buy pani from both local sources and from across the border. When the Indian supply is delayed, prices go up and I lose customers. Bhutanese pani is better in quality but supply is unstable. If the government helps local growers with packaging and consistent supply, we will not need to rely so much on imports. I think the demand is there; we just need the system to support it.”

The Kaja Throm represents a growing and partially successful local food ecosystem. The high percentage of locally sourced vegetables and dried goods testifies to Bhutan’s resilient farming communities and diverse geography. However, the data and voices from the ground clearly show that the fruit supply chain remains underdeveloped, and doma-pani vendors still depend on imports to meet demand and price expectations. While Bhutan is moving in the right direction toward food self-sufficiency, farmers and vendors alike are calling for investment in cold storage, better road access, and marketing support. With such improvements, Bhutan’s fruit growers and doma producers could one day match the success of the vegetable and dried goods sectors, making Kaja Throm not only a market but a symbol of national food sovereignty.