According to the MoAL, the MFTP project has finished its third phase, with the first phase having generated over Nu 1 million in income. The project’s fourth phase, which has a budget of Nu 182 million, will start next month. Planting sub-tropical fruit types from June to August and temperate fruit species between February and March will be the top priorities during this time. The Desuung office will continue to work on the project. Enhancing production management is another area of focus for the ministry. The survival percentage in the first phase was 67.5%. According to a preliminary survey evaluating the first phase’s tree fruiting status, just 10% of the 21,681 recipients assessed in 16 dzongkhags had fruiting trees. 233 recipients made over Nu 1 million from the sale of their products.
Fruit-bearing usually starts in the third year after planting for grafted fruit species. For trees to survive and produce, proper management techniques including fertilization, trimming, and watering are essential. To address this issue, the MoAL keeps offering farmers advice and training. This process is carried out by Department of Agriculture-trained desuups. Concerns over the import of saplings were also addressed by the ministry. Although imported saplings were necessary for earlier stages, the amount of imports has steadily decreased over time.