The Bhutanese Leading the way.
To accelerate the production of agriculture and livestock, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF) launched the Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation Limited (BLDCL) on the 3rd of August 2, 2017 as the first State Owned livestock corporation of Bhutan under the initiative of the Ministry.
The Agriculture Minister said that BLDCL is established as a State owned Enterprise with the objectives to complement the development needs of livestock sector in the country and also help create job opportunities for the youths and farmers in livestock sector enterprises.
“The Department of Livestock has agreed to transfer livestock input production facilities of Samrang, Samdrup Jongkhar, Relangthang, Sarpang, Serbithang and BCOOP shop to BLDCL for enhancing the production of poultry, piglets, goats and dairy cows which will support farmers access to quality inputs for better income,” said the minister.
The Minister said around Nu 2.3 billion worth of livestock are imported in the country annually, and BLDCL will serve as an agent to decrease the imports. “If we are not able to fully stop livestock related imports, but succeed in reducing the import rates at the least by 30%, we would be saving the outflow of cash worth Nu.600 million, which will help in the enhancing the lives of our people.”
The Director General of Department of Livestock under MoAF, Dr.Tashi Samdrup, said it is time the Department focus more on policies, plans, regulations, monitoring and facilitate intervention where there are research and extension needs.
“The commercial aspect should be with the farmers and private entrepreneurs, but given the stigma attached with livestock production, BLDCL will serve as a coping strategy to address such needs, ” he added.
The new SOE is expected to create ready markets for products through contract farming system to enable farmers to produce more with higher confidence.
The first Chief Executive Officer of BLDCL is Jigme Wangchuk was granted a scarf by the minister.
