Bhutan’s dairy group has explored new market in Assam. The milk marketing group of Samdrupjongkhar’s Pemathang Gewog can now sell milk in Dimakuchi in Assam, Bhutan’s national newspaper Kuensel reports.
Pemathang Gewog’s livestock officer, Kinley Phurpa, helped the group to find market in Dimakuchi after the group could not sell their milk in Samdrupjongkhar because of excess supply from Gomdar, Morong, Orong, and Dewathang.
Kinley Phurpa said that farmers formed the group in 2016 but could not produce any dairy products because of the lack of machines.
“The group is facing milk shortage now because they are not able to supply more than 200 litres milk everyday. We are trying to meet the demand of at least 500 litres,” Kinley Phurpa said.
Bhutan’s dairy group has 112 members but only about 40 members contribute milk to the group.
“The dairy group buys milk from farmers at Nu 30 and sells at Nu 39. Now the group sells milk worth Nu 200,000 a month,” Kinley Phurpa said. Bhutanese currency is known as Nu.
He said that since the group has no vehicle, they have hired a Bolero pickup truck for Nu 30,000 a month to supply milk to Dimakuchi.
Livestock department has installed chiller machine, butter churner and cream separator with support from Commercial Agriculture and Resilient Livelihoods Enhancement Programme (CARLEP) project.