Investing in agri-logistic infrastructure for greater market access in Bhutan: learning from Rome’s wholesale market

Bhutanese delegation from Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock visit Rome wholesale market (Centro Agroalimentare di Roma – CAR) to learn about its organization and business model.
©FAO/Cécile Begard
A delegation from the Bhutanese Government led by H.E. Younten Phuntsho, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, visited Rome’s wholesales market (Centro Agroalimentare di Roma – CAR) on 16 October 2024 to learn about its organization and business model.
As Bhutan embarks on a transformative journey leading to sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems, the nation is keen to draw inspiration from global best practices while enhancing its infrastructure to empower farmers with greater market access for their produce, and agrifood systems actors to add value and meet demand in domestic and export markets.
Drawing lessons from others
Four representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock including the Minister, two representatives from the Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the UN in Geneva including the Ambassador H.E. Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk and the CEO of the Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation Ltd visited the fruits and vegetables’ sections of the 140 hectare-CAR. The visit was organized by the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), currently supporting Bhutan’s government in the framework of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Intelligence (SASI) initiative funded by the European Union.
Opened in 2002 in the outskirts of Rome, CAR serves as a logistic and service platform that connects producers with buyers for fruit and vegetables and fish products that are sold in restaurants, stores and supermarkets across Italy. Every year, more than 1 million tons of fresh products transit through this hub, making it one of the biggest wholesale markets in Europe.
The market welcomes all value chain actors, from producers to retailers, restaurants, food service companies, etc. but also public services such as customs and the food safety agency. It is managed by a semi-public company. Every day, 4 500 people work in the market.
Adapting good practices to local context
H.E. Younten Phuntsho, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, was impressed by the visit: “A food logistical hub is something we would like to create in Bhutan. Of course we have our own challenges, and the volume will not be the same, but it was insightful to see how it is organized here in Rome, to adapt the concept to our situation and environment.” He added: “In the past, families of Bhutan only saw agriculture as a way to feed themselves, what we call subsistence farming. We are gradually changing to see it a source of revenue, as products to sell. And for this, we need large and reliable infrastructure.”
Florent Tomatis, Agribusiness and value chain specialist at FAO Investment Centre, commented: “Bhutan’s existing capacities can be improved by adapting to their context and needs some concepts observed in Rome, such as integrating an easily accessible wholesale market as part of an EcoHub System, which the country aims to establish with FAO’s support. This will allow the aggregation and the monitoring of fresh products on site and guarantee a secure environment for trade. This will enable farmers’ production capacity and improve product quality.”
As part of its 13th five-year plan, and with 43% of its population employed in the agricultural sector, the Government of Bhutan plans to focus on developing five value chains: citrus mandarin, coffee, rainbow trout, black pepper and quinoa. Wholesale food markets, and the services they offer, can help to unlock the potential of farmers and other agrifood systems’ actors, improving productivity and competitiveness in domestic and export agrifood markets.