Integrated Agriculture and Livestock Census Report (IALC) 2023
The National Statistics Bureau (NSB) is pleased to release the results of the Integrated Agriculture and Livestock Census (IALC) 2023. It was conducted from January 26 to March 15, 2024. Starting from 2022, the IALC is conducted annually to record and maintain reliable information on Bhutan’s crop area and production, and livestock population and production. The report was formally launched by the Hon’ble Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
The IALC 2023 is a complete enumeration of all crop growers and livestock-rearing households in the country. The data was collected from 69,008 agricultural holdings, out of which about 96% (66,440) were from the household sector and 4% (2,568) from the non-household sector. Additionally, the data was gathered from 15 government livestock farms and state-owned enterprises. The share of crops and livestock to GDP in 2022 was 6.81 percent and 5.28 percent respectively.
Key Findings
i) Cereals
The production of main cereals recorded at 68,786 MT in 2023. Punakha, Paro, and Trashigang registered as the highest cereal producing Dzongkhags. Paddy emerged as the most widely grown cereal crop in Bhutan, with 40,563 Metric Tons (MT) of irrigated paddy and 241 MT of upland paddy harvested. The production of other cereals includes 25,118 MT of maize, 837 MT of wheat, 518 MT of barley, 530 MT of millet, 965 MT of buckwheat, and 12 MT of quinoa.
ii) Oilseeds and Pulses
The production of oilseeds and pulses recorded 1,097 MT in 2023. The major varieties grown were mustard, groundnut, rajma beans, and mung beans.
iii) Vegetables
About 26,825 MT of vegetables were produced in 2023. The major vegetables grown in the country were cabbage, cauliflower, and chili. Paro, Wangdue Phodrang, and Chhukha were the major vegetable-producing Dzongkhags in 2023.
iv) Roots and Tubers
A total of about 38,327 MT of roots and tubers were produced in 2023. Wangdue Phodrang, Paro, and Chhukha dzongkhags were the dominant root and tuber producers in 2023. Potatoes emerged as the most widely grown roots and tubers in Bhutan, with 37,749 (MT) produced.
v) Fruits
About 42,780 MT of fruits were harvested in 2023. Sarpang, Dagana, and Samtse dzongkhags were dominant fruit producers in 2023. The major fruits grown are mandarins with a production of 21,170 MT, areca nuts with 11,409 MT, and apples with 2,317 MT.
vi) Livestock Population
The IALC 2023 recorded a total of 260,565 bovine livestock, 10,117 equine, 29,625 pigs, 819,335 poultry, 9,411 sheep, and 60,798 goats. In terms of milking population, Jersey cattle is the most commonly reared livestock in Bhutan, with Monggar, Trashigang, and Sarpang registering as the dominant dzongkhags. Samtse, Chhukha, Dagana, and Wangdue Phodrang are prominent for rearing Thrabum milking cattle. Thimphu and Gasa recorded the highest milking yak population, while Bumthang dominated in brown Swiss cattle. A total of 24,072 bovine livestock deaths were reported, with Wangdue Phodrang (12.3 percent), Trashigang (12.1 percent), and Samtse (9.3 percent) recording the highest number of deaths among the Dzongkhags. Among other livestock, poultry accounted for the
majority, totaling 165,963 deaths.
vii) Livestock production
In terms of dairy production, the economy recorded 43,829 MT of milk, 1,727 MT of butter, 2,326 MT of cheese, and 132 MT of chugo. Among the Dzongkhags, Trashigang produced the highest amount of milk, butter, and cheese in 2023. The total meat production included 1,590 MT of pork, 1,475 MT of beef, 142 MT of yak meat, 231 MT of chevon, 22 MT of mutton, 1,165 MT of chicken, and 43 MT of fish. Additionally, the Livestock sector produced around 85 million eggs, 42 MT of honey, 3 MT of yak wool, and 6 MT of sheep wool.
The IALC 2023 provides a detailed and insightful information on Bhutan’s agricultural and livestock landscape. With robust data on crop yields, livestock population, dairy and meat production, and other key metrics, this census report provides a strong statistical basis for informed decision-making and policy formulation for targeted policy interventions. For detailed and disaggregated data by gewog, the information is available in Excel format. The
full report is available for reference on the www.nsb.gov.bt.
