THIMPHU: Six months into launching his food business, Ugyen Phuntsho, 28, from Lumang Gewog in Trashigang, is earning between Nu 20,000 (US$217) and Nu 30,000 a month by turning local farm produce into packaged snacks.
His venture, Lumang Food and Products, produces cookies made from maize, buckwheat, cassava and barley, as well as buckwheat cupcakes, radish pickles and chips from banana, potato and sweet potato – all sourced locally.
Ugyen Phuntsho runs the business with his wife, transforming surplus farm produce into packaged goods that travel from Lumang Gewog to café shelves in Wamrong, Trashigang.
“We take around 20 to 40 kilogrammes of maize, sweet potato, and other produce each month,” Ugyen Phuntsho said. “With one kg of maize, we can make around five packets of cookies.”
The business currently supplies Wamrong Café and Tragopan Café, moving around 50 to 60 packets of cookies a month.
Ugyen Phuntsho plans to expand supply to Trashigang market once the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority certifies their products.
He was inspired to start the business following a week-long training at NLD Training Institute in Thimphu.
Bhutan Foundation and Tarayana Foundation provided equipment and a loan to start the business, including training.
Processing begins with drying and grinding the raw produce into powder using machines in the unit.
For maize cookies, ground maize flour is mixed with jaggery, flour, butter, oil and milk, then moulded, shaped and baked for about 20 minutes before cooling and being packed into bags of 12 cookies.
Sweet potato demands more effort than maize. “It must be cut, dried, ground and reduced to powder before processing,” said Ugyen Phuntsho.
Farmers supply produce during the harvest season, which is then stored and processed throughout the year. The arrangement provides a steady market for local crops.
“Our venture also helps divert produce from being used to make alcohol,” said Ugyen Phuntsho. “Our business benefits the community, which largely depends on agriculture.”
Farmers earn between Nu 40 and Nu 50 per kilogramme of maize, and around Nu 50 for sweet potato—prices that can rise to Nu 60 or Nu 70 in the off-season.
The main constraint, however, is demand. Footfall remains inconsistent, with some days bringing no sales at all.
Certification, Ugyen Phuntsho hopes, will help expand his market and stabilise the business. - Kuensel/ANN
