The Bhutanese Leading the way.
During the recent Meet-the-Press session, the Agriculture and Livestock Minister, Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho, outlined several initiatives under the 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP) to enhance meat production domestically, reduce reliance on imports, and promote food security.
The minister explained the delicate balance between spiritual traditions and economic needs, recognizing the increasing demand for meat in Bhutan.
He said, “In 2022, the domestic requirement for chicken, pork, and fish totaled 8,812 metric tons (MT), of which 6,550 MT were imported, and only 2,262 MT were produced locally. The demand for meat is expected to increase with the growing population and the emergence of new markets within the country.”
“To address this rising demand and reduce imports, MoAL has planned a series of targeted interventions to increase self-sufficiency in meat production by accelerating commercialization in the poultry, piggery, and fishery sectors,” he added.
Initiatives to Boost Poultry Production
One of the key areas the ministry aims to address is chicken production, with a target to meet 50 percent of the country’s total consumption domestically. Currently, Bhutan produces 1,165 MT of chicken, which is expected to increase to 2,000 MT under the new plan.
To achieve this goal, MoAL will establish three large-scale broiler farms in Tsirang, Samdrup Jongkhar, and Samtse, each capable of housing 10,000 birds, contributing an annual production of 260 MT of chicken. Furthermore, state-of-the-art chicken processing plants will be constructed in Samtse and Dagana, enhancing the chicken value chain through efficient processing and distribution.
At the same time, the Price Guarantee Scheme (PGS), implemented under the government’s Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP), will play a crucial role in stabilizing chicken prices and ensuring income generation for poultry farmers. The scheme will involve the Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation Limited (BLDCL) as the primary aggregator and distributor, providing high-quality chicken products to consumers.
Lyonpo said, “To support scaling up chicken production, the ministry plans to privatize the production of broiler day-old chicks (DOCs) through partnerships with State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and private entities. Additionally, measures will be taken to safeguard poultry farms against disease outbreaks by promoting enhanced biosecurity measures. Digitization of poultry farms across the country will also be implemented to formalize the chicken value chain, allowing effective monitoring of production planning, stabilizing the market, and ensuring accessible and affordable chicken products.”
Pork Production Enhancement Strategy
MoAL also plans to enhance pork production to meet 60 percent of country’s total consumption needs. The current domestic production of pork stands at 1,590 MT, with a target to increase it to 1,845 MT.
To reach this target, piggery nucleus farms under the Department of Livestock (DoL) will produce 1,228 breeding parent stocks annually, up from 918 in 2021. These breeding materials will be supplied to contract pig breeders (CPBs), operated by private entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on the southern dzongkhags. The CPBs will produce 21,000 fattening piglets annually, contributing significantly to the pork production target.
DoL will strengthen government pig nucleus breeding farms to produce high-quality breeding inputs and enhance farm operations through improved mechanization and biosecurity measures. Additionally, a Swine Artificial Insemination Program will be promoted nationwide to reduce costs associated with rearing boars.
Large-scale fattening farms will be established in Dagana, Sarpang, Samtse, and Samdrup Jongkhar, each with a capacity of 200 fattener levels to produce 44.8 MT of pork annually. Moreover, a high-tech pig breeding farm will be set up in Samtse or Samrang in Samdrup Jongkhar with a capacity of 240 sow levels, ensuring a sustainable supply of quality fattening piglets.
The minister said, “Addressing African Swine Fever (ASF), which remains a significant threat to the piggery industry, will be a priority. The ministry plans to enhance farm biosecurity measures and provide technical assistance to potential piggery farmers.”
Boosting Fish Production
Fish production is another focus area, with the aim to achieve 15 percent of total consumption through domestic production. The current fish production stands at 43 MT, and the target is to increase it to 250 MT.
To reach this goal, government fishery farms under DoL are expected to produce 1.18 million fingerlings annually. For the fiscal year 2024-25, 1.71 million fingerlings will be supplied to farmers in 12 potential fishery dzongkhags to enhance table fish production.
DoL will promote advanced technologies such as BioFloc fish culturing, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), and Aquaponics to address challenges related to water resources, pond seepage, and farm management practices.
Lyonpo said, “Efforts will also be made to revive 154 defunct fish farms covering 34.69 acres across six dzongkhags. Technical support will be provided to address critical issues such as irrigation and pond seepage, with a phased approach to restore ponds over five years, aiming for 68 MT of table fish by 2029 from these defunct ponds. Additionally, commercial Chirup fish farms with a production capacity of 40 MT will be established in potential locations such as Dagana and Samdrup Jongkhar.”
The minister said that a common theme across all three meat production areas is a focus on clean meat production that meets safety and sanitary standards.
MoAL aims to enhance meat quality through the production and distribution of quality inputs, technical support, and strengthened biosecurity measures.
SOEs under the ESP are also implementing several measures to enhance meat production in the country. The Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation, through financing from the ESP, is establishing a piggery with a cold chain in Samrang, which is expected to produce 24 MT of pork. The corporation will also revive six fish ponds to produce 15.5 MT of fish and aggregate and supply 151.5 MT of pork, 112 MT of chicken, and 29.8 MT of fish.
