Amid rising milk production and growing demand for dairy products, members of Khothangkha Gonor Yargay Detshen in Wangdue Phodrang are struggling to keep up. It is not due to lack of milk, but because of limited number of processing machines.
It has been a few years since the group started producing dairy products. Initially, the group had 27 members and produced around one hundred litres of milk daily.
The government constructed the milk processing unit and provided machines.
Today, the unit is equipped with two butter churners, each with 60-litre capacity, two cream separators, four cold storage facilities and some milk collection containers.
Currently, the group has 47 members collecting around 900 litres of milk in a day during summer.
The group supplies their cheese and butter to nearby religious centres, the Gyalsung Academy and Thimphu.
However, they said that due to limited machinery at the centre, it has become challenging to meet the demand.
Dophu, Chairman, Khothangkha Gonor Yargay Detshen said “The existing machines have a maximum capacity of 45 litres of milk. However, the milk production has now increased to 600–700 litres, and we have to process all of it using these machines. So, it takes a lot of time.”
However, the district administration said they are aware of the situation and have been providing support in every possible way. One of the butter churners was issued recently by the district administration.
The chief district livestock officer said that a cold storage facility will be provided soon.
He also added that the district administration is supporting in development of pasture land and providing hybrid cows.
The district administration also plans to diversify dairy products by producing paneer and yoghurt and expand their markets by supplying pasteurised milk.
Wangdue Phodrang has seven milk processing units and is one of the leading producers of dairy products in the country.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Tshering Zam
