COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

Renewable Natural Resources
earning increased revenues for Bhutan. The increased production was from the Gedu Wood Manufacturing
Corporation which started production of blockboards and veneers in 1988.
Table 17.3 Forestry Exports to India (Nu.million)
B. ConstraintsB. Constraints
17.17 The scarcity of land for arable production, combined with infertile soils and high infiltration rates in the
south, present major constraints to increasing arable production. Natural levels of nitrogen and phosphorous are
unusually low, with only moderate organic content. Yields of crops are generally low due to poor soils, with rice
and maize yields higher in the Warm Temperate and Dry Sub Tropical Zones. The prevalence of share cropping is
seen as a major constraint to improving agricultural productivity as these producers have no incentive to increase
yields and cropping intensity or invest in land improvements.
17.18 Acute labour shortages occur during the peak seasons, which most farmers overcome through systems of
exchange labour. However increasing urbanisation and education of young household members are resulting in
increased labour shortages, affecting mainly larger scale farmers at present. The returns to production of rice,
wheat, millet and mustard seed are below the prevailing market wage rates, whereas high maize yields in the Dry
Sub Tropical Zone provide adequate returns to labour.
17.19 The distances between communities and lack of roads is a major constraint to marketing of crop and
livestock products and thus reduces the incentive to increase agricultural production in remote areas. The removal
of this constraint is beginning to lead to increases in production and marketing of agricultural produce. However,
many farmers still attach high priority to household food self sufficiency as they remain situated a long way from
roads. At present very little private sector marketing of cereals and oilseeds takes place. Small quantities of
particular varieties of rice, maize and mustard oil are sold in the weekly markets that have been established in all
main centres. The main crops marketed are cash crops, mostly for export.
17.20 The shortage of nutritious feed for livestock is a major constraint, and livestock numbers are considered to
be in excess of the capacity of the resource. Large herds are maintained, consisting of up to 50% of unproductive
animals, placing additional demands on the limited grazing resource.
Agricultutal land use planning and particularly forestry management planning is severely hampered by lack of
detailed data. The policy and project planning capabilities of the Ministry of agriculture are also constrained by lack
of agricultural statistics.
C. InstitutionsC. Institutions
17.21 Apart from agricultural producers themselves, the Ministry of Agriculture has the major responsibility for
promotion of agricultural development. The MOA provides support services to farmers through three Departments
of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Forestry.
17.22 The principal infrastructure of the Ministry of Agriculture is as follows:
Department of Agriculture
174 Agricultural Extension Centres
5 Agricultural Research Stations
6 Seed and Plant Production Farms
4
Type 1986 1987 1988
Timber
Blockboard
Sawn Logs and Veneers
53.3
21.2
0.6
121.2
29.3
0.9
91.4
31.0
104.7
TOTAL 75.1 151.4 227.1