Million Fruit Trees Plantation project generates over Nu 1 million revenue

Last Updated on January 10, 2025 6:23 am

The Million Fruit Trees Plantation (MFTP) project has completed its third phase, generating over Nu 1 million in revenue from the first phase of the project, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL).

The fourth phase of the project will begin next month with a Nu 182 million budget. This phase will prioritise planting temperate fruit species between February and March and sub-tropical varieties from June to August.

The project will continue in collaboration with the Desuung office.

The ministry stated that efforts will focus on monitoring tree survival rates, providing additional support to farmers, and expanding the initiative to ensure sustainable growth and impact.

The funds will be utilised to broaden the reach of the programme. The ministry is also working on improving production management, value chain development, branding, and marketing strategies to maximise value.

The third phase of the MFTP successfully met its target of planting 1.2 million fruit trees. The priority fruit varieties included mandarin, avocado, irwin mango, lime, agarwood, macadamia nut, kiwifruit, apple, pecan nut, almond and walnut. These varieties are comparatively high in value with well-established markets and have better nutritional value, along with easy post-harvest handling aspects.

The first phase saw a survival rate of 67.5 percent. The preliminary assessments for the second phase, conducted in November 2024, indicate a decline to around 60 percent.

The lower survival rate in the second phase was attributed to the selection of less hardy species. “Unlike the first phase, where a greater variety of more resilient plants were included, the second phase focused on a reduced number of species, which likely led to an increased presence of plants that are less robust and harder to establish,” stated the ministry.

A preliminary survey assessing the fruiting status of trees from the first phase revealed that only 10 percent of the 21,681 beneficiaries surveyed across 16 dzongkhags reported fruiting trees. Of these, 233 beneficiaries sold their produce, generating over Nu 1 million in income.

For grafted fruit species, fruit-bearing typically begins in the third year of planting. Proper management practices—such as watering, pruning, and fertilisation—are critical to tree survival and productivity.

The MoAL continues to provide training and guidance to farmers to address this issue.

All MFTP plants are geo-tagged for traceability. Desuups trained by the Department of Agriculture are responsible for this process.

“While tagging, precision is typically maintained at 4 metres, there may be occasional inaccuracies due to factors such as satellite availability and weather conditions, which can affect the quality of the geolocation data on any given day,” an MoAL official said.

The ministry also clarified concerns about sapling imports. While earlier phases relied on imported saplings, the volume of imports has gradually declined over the years.

“For the fourth phase, more than 1.24 million seedlings are now available domestically. Of the total seedlings, over 85 percent are sourced from more than 40 registered private nursery operators across the country,” said the MoAL official.