Bhutan’s spice sector, led by Chhimi Dorjee, faces challenges in scaling up, accessing testing facilities, and meeting international certification standards, stifling its export potential, despite cardamom being the top spice export. A national workshop identifies bottlenecks in the spice industry, including government intervention, insufficient interest, poor coordination, and lab testing facilities, highlighting potential market access gaps. Bhutan faces challenges in the dry cardamom sector due to inadequate facilitation, logistical and regulatory barriers, and structural issues such as low product volume and quality.
FAO recommends Bhutan to boost its cardamom and turmeric exports, focusing on brand awareness, geographical indication, and improved farming practices. Additionally, focusing on product development and branding could open lucrative markets. The FAO highlights Bhutan’s fragmented spice value chain, calling for a long-term strategic plan, monitoring frameworks, and investment in branding and certification. The Department of Agriculture is implementing a national strategy.