After earning more than Nu 1 million in revenue from the first phase of the Million Fruit Trees Plantation (MFTP) project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) has finished the third phase. With a budget of Nu 182 million, the fourth phase will concentrate on growing sub-tropical fruit kinds from June to August and temperate fruit species from February to March. The government is focusing on tracking tree survival rates, giving farmers more assistance, and growing the sustainable growth effort. 1.2 million fruit trees, including valuable fruit kinds like walnut, avocado, and mandarin, have been planted as a result of the effort.
According to initial evaluations carried out in November 2024, the survival percentage of a plantation project in the Philippines has decreased from about 60% in the first phase to around 60% in the second phase. The selection of less hardy plants, which were more challenging to establish, is blamed for the lower survival rate. Just 10% of the 21,681 recipients surveyed in 16 dzongkhags, according to a preliminary survey, reported having fruiting trees. Of those beneficiaries, 233 sold their produce, earning more than Nu 1 million.
Grafted fruit species, which usually start bearing fruit in the third year of planting, are being managed with the help of training and advice from the Ministry of Agriculture (MoAL). The Department of Agriculture-trained Desuups are in charge of geotagging all MFTP plants for traceability. Although tagging accuracy is often kept at 4 meters, unexpected errors can happen because of things like weather and satellite availability. With more than 1.24 million seedlings now available domestically, more than 85% of which come from more than 40 registered private nursery operators, the MoAL has allayed worries regarding sapling imports.