With only three days to primary round poll, political parties in Bhutan reiterated their strategies to improving the agricultural sector at the vice presidential debate. Agriculture, a major sector employing a significant portion of Bhutan’s population, features prominently across the manifestoes of all parties. The parties pledge agricultural sector development aligned with self-sufficiency and improving the economy.
While crops like maize and potatoes are produced in large quantities, they have been exported without any value-addition. Some of the parties want to solve that problem by setting up necessary infrastructure in places known for large scale production, or wherever necessary to value add on the produce, to earn more income.
According to National Accounts Statistics 2023, crop production registered a negative growth rate of 4 percent in 2022, as opposed to a growth rate of 1.46 percent in 2021. This decline of 5.46 percentage points from the previous year signifies a substantial decrease in its growth momentum.
Source: kuenselonline.com