The annual harvest for Mountain Hazelnut Venture has not been convincing to the farmers of the Bumthang district this year in spite of the hard efforts made by them. Yet there is a hope for better reap - a benefit for their hard work in the course of time. This year a total of five truckloads of nuts were harvested.
The history of Mountain Hazelnut Cultivation in Bhutan as of now is rather an uninspiring one. When the business first started in 2009, the farmers were promised that hazelnut would bear fruits within 3-4 years of time but it has not made a good impression as of now. The company is currently at loss and more than Ngultrum 1.4 Billion has been invested in the venture. This has shaken the company's credibility among the farmers.
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| happy farmer with hazelnuts |
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| harvesting hazelnut |
"So far we have not made any significant revenue through the sale of hazelnut. However, we are hopeful of a big harvest in the next few years. Despite the challenges we are facing, we have collected more than 14 metric tonnes of nuts this year and have planned to export soon."-Chenga Tshering (PhD), the Director of Mountain Hazelnut Ventures, (Sonam Nutty, BBS News)
The hazelnut cultivation venture was established with the hope to improve the subsistence nature of farming in Bhutan. The farmers would plant plants in fallow or degraded areas and sell the produce at good prices to add to their income. It is the first 100% foreign direct investment company in Bhutan. Not only at Bumthang but also at places all across Bhutan, approximately thousand of farmers are planting hazelnut. Mountain Hazelnut Venture is providing free saplings for strong and committed farmers.
Hazelnut thrives well between the elevation of 1600 to 3000 meters above sea level.
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