Bhutan starts organic manure

Further to the campaign to become a fully organic country, Bhutan has launched locally made organic manure for farmers and gardeners.

Locally made organic manure, bio-slurry, a byproduct from a biogas plant is now available at the Centenary Farmers’ Market, Thimphu.

The first trained farmer to start this business is Padam Ghalley from Phuentsholing.

Ghalley, who started using biogas five years ago, said it took him two months to prepare the manure.

Each 5 kg of bag was being sold at Nu 100 while a 10 kg bag costs Nu 200. Ghalley said he sold manure worth Nu 40,000 in just three days of trade. He shared that few dealers have also shown their keen interest in taking up his manure bags in future.

This initiative, taken jointly by Bhutan Biogas Project and the National Organic Program, has so far trained 186 farmers in Samtse (Samchi), Tsirang (Chirang), Chukha and Sarpang (Sarbhang) along with 54 extension officials in the east.

Bhutanese farmers are expected to produce 285 MT of manure worth Nu 5.7m by end of this year.