Orange is one of the main cash crops for the people of Daksa Geog under Werringla Dungkhag, Mongar. However, a lack of motor-able road has been the bottleneck for the people of this Geog to market their oranges.
In a small settlement called Pam in Daksa, visitors are greeted with baskets of fresh, juicy oranges. The visitors can also pluck as many oranges from the trees.
Even at this time of the year oranges can still be seen on the trees. Some lie on the ground to rot. Only the households which have able bodied male or other means like mules can take their oranges to sell, which is about two and half days walk to the nearest motor-able road in Nanglam.
“It is sad that such quality, organic oranges are being wasted here,” said one of the visitors.
Yeshi Namgay, 64, says he can no longer walk with load of oranges on his back. As a result, his oranges are either left to rot or given to cattle. “Those who could take to Nanglam fetched very good price this year. They got about Nu. 170-180 per Pon (80 organes make a Pon),” said Yeshi.
Similar stories are also shared by the people of Jurmi, Gongdu and Silambi. These villages are the remotest and most backward in Mongar.
The Werringla Dungpa, Rabgay Tobden, said that although there is plan to construct motor-able road in the Geog it might take some time. “For Daksa Geog, we need a take-off point. Unless the Nanglam-Gyelposhing Highway is complete there is no way that we can construct farm road,” he said.
The villagers of this remote and backward village will have to wait for sometime before they will be able to market their ‘fresh, juicy’ oranges.
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