In an unusual twist for Bhutan’s winter fruit economy, mandarin farmers in Phuentsholing are enjoying strong and stable prices even as orange production drops sharply, turning this season into one of mixed fortunes for growers, traders, and exporters alike.
Despite a noticeable fall in output, mandarins are commanding moderate to high market rates, driven by regional demand and tightening supply. Farmers say the prices have provided some relief, but not enough to offset the steep decline in harvest volumes that once filled trucks and sustained household incomes.
At the start of the season in early December 2025, farmers earned around Nu 1,400 per box for keel (smaller-sized oranges) and Nu 1,600 for meel (larger-sized oranges). Prices climbed steadily toward the end of December and early January, reaching Nu 1,650 for keel and Nu 1,800 for meel per box. By the second week of January 2026, rates strengthened further, with keel selling at approximately Nu 1,700 and meel fetching as much as Nu 2,000 per box.
While these prices are encouraging, they still fall short of last year’s exceptional peak, when mandarin rates crossed Nu 2,000 per box for keel and reached nearly Nu 2,250 for meel. Nonetheless, this year’s prices represent a notable improvement over the 2024 season, when farmers struggled with low returns of around Nu 1,100 for keel and Nu 1,400 for meel.
However, behind the price stability lies a worrying reality: production has fallen drastically.
“Mandarin is the only cash crop that brings high income for us,” said Kiran Rai of Logchina gewog, describing the sharp drop in yields this season. “Earlier, we could harvest a full truckload. This year, it has gone down to half a truck.” In some orchards, he said, production has collapsed even further, with areas that once yielded a full DCM truckload now producing only two Bolero trips.
Farmers in neighboring areas echoed similar concerns. Jas Bir from Dungna said that while prices remain reasonable, the quantity available for sale has declined significantly. He attributed the reduced harvest to diseases that affected fruit trees during the summer, causing fruits to drop prematurely before reaching maturity.
“We informed the concerned officials, but there was no dedicated treatment,” he said, expressing frustration over the lack of timely intervention to protect orchards.
The impact of declining production is being felt across the supply chain. Middlemen and traders, who depend on volume to make profits, say that moderate prices alone are not enough to compensate for shrinking supplies. Harka Bdr Rai, a trader from Logchina gewog who purchases mandarins from farmers and sells them to exporters, said that while prices are comparable to last year, earnings remain constrained.
“The orange production is less this year, even though the price is moderate,” he said, noting that limited availability has reduced the scale of trade.
Ironically, the price resilience this season has been buoyed by surging demand from Bangladesh, where Bhutanese mandarins are highly valued for their taste and quality. Farmers and exporters said that Bangladesh did not import oranges from India this season, although there has been no official confirmation from authorities. This apparent supply gap has tightened regional markets and pushed prices upward, making this year an unusual one for cross-border orange trade.
Exporters say the demand spike has helped stabilize prices despite falling production, offering temporary relief to growers who might otherwise have faced heavy losses.
However, structural challenges continue to plague Bhutan’s mandarin sector. Poor flowering in certain regions, recurring pest and disease outbreaks, and inconsistent extension support have all contributed to declining yields. Farmers say that despite investing time and resources into orchard maintenance, they remain vulnerable to climate variability and plant health issues that are often beyond their control.
As the season progresses, growers fear that without targeted disease management, technical support, and long-term interventions, the mandarin sector could face deeper challenges in the years ahead. For now, farmers are grateful that prices have held firm—but many warn that good prices mean little when there are fewer oranges to sell.
This season’s mandarins may be sweeter at the market, but for farmers watching their harvest shrink, the taste of uncertainty lingers.
Sangay Rabten
From Thimphu
