The Bhutanese Leading the way.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL), the combine harvester services will be given to more paddy-growing districts, following ongoing concerns that many farmers outside Paro struggle with labour shortages and delayed harvests.
Combine harvesters have become an important tool, helping farmers cut labour expenses and complete harvesting on time. However, access to these machines remains limited.
As of now, Paro has the highest number of combine harvesters, with 31 machines in operation due to its extensive paddy fields and consistently high demand during peak season. Bumthang and Punakha each have two machines, and FMCL also provides seasonal services in Thimphu and Phuntshothang. To enhance national mechanisation efforts, FMCL procured 20 new machines this year.
According to MoAL, the distribution of harvesters to other districts depends on a range of factors. FMCL must consider whether the scale of demand justifies deployment, as the corporation must maintain financial viability. Large, continuous paddy terraces are also necessary for the machines to operate efficiently, making fragmented or narrow fields less suitable.
Road accessibility remains another major limitation. Because combine harvesters are large and heavy, fields located far from motorable roads cannot be serviced easily. The ministry also noted that the type of paddy grown affects suitability, with short-straw varieties performing better during mechanical harvesting. Tall-straw varieties, still grown in many regions, tend to result in higher grain loss.
MoAL Minister, Younten Phuntsho, acknowledged that while there is a clear need for more machines, the seasonal nature of paddy harvesting means that combine harvesters remain idle for much of the year. Purchasing and deploying large numbers of machines nationwide would be difficult.
To address these gaps, the government is encouraging greater participation from the private sector.
