Cole crops

Cole crops are an important cash crop in Bhutan. It is grown mainly for domestic consumption. The main Cole crops grown are cabbages (3,413 MT produced in 2013), cauliflower (829 MT) and broccoli (363 MT).

Cole crops are commonly grown in food gardens across Bhutan. Commercially they are mainly grown at altitudes above about 2000 m asl, especially in the west (Thimphu, Paro, Haa and Chukka Dzonghags). Because of their good returns they can be grown very intensively, with several, overlapping, crops grown per season.

Cole crops are prone to insect attack, especially by several economically important species of caterpillars and the cabbage aphid which can destroy the market value of broccoli. Large amounts of insecticides are currently being used on commercial farms, especially to manage the cabbage white butterfly. This could be greatly reduced through regular monitoring and adoption of Integrated Pest Management.

Cole crops can also be affected by several diseases. Of most importance is clubroot. This is a relatively new disease in Bhutan and is still spreading. It becomes extremely difficult to manage once high spore levels are present in the soil so prevention is critical.