In a move aimed at transforming its fledgling spice industry into a competitive export powerhouse, Bhutan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, in partnership with FAO Bhutan, unveiled plans this week to craft a comprehensive strategic framework and establish a dedicated trade association for spice producers and exporters.
Each year, Bhutan sends thousands of tonnes of premium spices—including cardamom, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and garlic—to markets in India, Bangladesh and Singapore. Last year alone, exports topped 2,000 metric tonnes of cardamom and ginger, underscoring the sector’s raw potential. Yet, farmers and entrepreneurs say they have long grappled with erratic pricing, antiquated cultivation methods, inconsistent quality standards, and an uneven value chain that stifles growth.
“The lack of a unifying policy and industry body has left producers scattered and vulnerable,” said Dorji Norbu, a spice grower from Samdrup Jongkhar. “Even when our harvests are plentiful, we struggle to secure reliable buyers and fair prices.”
On Friday, stakeholders from across the spice value chain convened in Thimphu for a national workshop to diagnose these bottlenecks and draft a “Spice Industry Vision 2030.” Participants—spanning village farming groups, processing entrepreneurs and export agents—mapped out priorities ranging from updated pest‐management protocols and climate‐smart agronomy to modern drying facilities and streamlined logistics.
Leki Chedup, chairman of the Panbang Youth‐Led Cooperative, welcomed the strategic plan’s emphasis on market access. “By aligning production standards with global benchmarks, we can finally command reasonable prices for our goods,” he noted.
FAO Bhutan’s Senior Rural Institutions Officer, Erick J. Zeballos, stressed the importance of system‐wide coordination. “To compete internationally, Bhutan must knit together every stage—from field to freight—under robust quality certification and a supportive institutional framework,” he said.
Central to the government’s proposal is the formation of a Spice Industry Association that will serve as the sector’s governing body. Membership will include growers’ cooperatives, processors, traders and exporters. The association’s mandate will cover collective bargaining, market intelligence, branding initiatives and liaison with regulatory agencies. FAO Bhutan has pledged to back the association with ongoing research and development support.
“We often end up negotiating with scattered individuals, which hampers both policy dialogue and marketing efforts,” explained Tashi Dorji, director of the Department of Agriculture and Marketing Cooperatives. “An association unifies our voice and streamlines decision‐making.”
To operationalize these plans, the ministry has proposed a budget allocation of 148 million ngultrum. Funds will finance the rollout of quality‐assurance laboratories, training programs in modern agronomic practices, and the establishment of drying and packaging centers.
With a clear roadmap and a new industry body on the horizon, Bhutan’s spice sector appears poised to shed its informal roots and emerge as a sustainable, high‐value contributor to the national economy. As Leki Chedup summed up, “We finally have a blueprint and an institution to turn our rich harvests into lasting prosperity.”
