Milk production remains ample in off-season

By Kapil Gyawali,Siddarthanagar, June 16: This year, milk production has increased even during the off-season. The first five months of the Nepali Calendar (mid-April to mid-August) are considered off-season for milk production. 

According to Krishna Prasad Aryal, acting project chief of the Nepal Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) Lumbini Distribution Centre, due to limited market demand, surplus milk has had to be sent for conversion (processing).

Generally, milk production is low during this period. However, Aryal said that this year, timely rainfall allowed farmers to feed fresh green grass to their cows and buffaloes, and commercial production has also increased, contributing to the higher milk yield.

In Baisakh (mid-April to mid-May) of this year, the Lumbini Distribution Project collected an average of 7,000 liters of milk daily, out of which 4,500 liters were consumed in the local market. Around 2,500 liters per day had to be sent to Hetauda for conversion.

“In Baisakh of the previous year, an average of only 2,500 liters of milk was collected daily. To meet the local market demand, milk had to be brought in from DDC centres in Biratnagar, Balaju, and Hetauda,” Aryal said.

The centre's coverage area has a daily milk demand of approximately 4,500 liters. Aryal added that efforts have also been made to promote secondary products like ghee, paneer, butter, yogurt, and cheese to utilise the surplus milk.

According to him, Lumbini Dairy Development Project has started producing probiotic yogurt in Butwal, making it the first production site outside the Kathmandu Valley. To cater to the summer season, 300 ml bottles of buttermilk were initially produced, and starting Friday, 1-liter bottles have also been introduced.

The Lumbini Distribution Project has also launched an open ghee sale offer targeting consumers. Customers who bring their own containers can purchase ghee at Rs. 950 per liter. The same ghee is being sold at Rs. 1,150 per pouch and 1,200 per jar.

Under the Lumbini Dairy Distribution Project, chilling centres are located in Pragatinagar (Nawalparasi East), Sunawal and Basa (Nawalparasi West), Manigram and Amuwa (Rupandehi), Chandrauta (Kapilvastu), and Baletaksar (Gulmi). Milk is collected from districts including Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Palpa, and Gulmi. 

Aryal informed that the DDC market, which previously extended only up to Ruru in Gulmi, has now expanded to Tamghas, and market expansion preparations are underway in Arghakhanchi.

During the peak milk production season (from Asoj to Chaitra), about 15,000 liters of milk is collected daily, while consumption stands at around 5,000 liters. 

The surplus 10,000 liters is converted into milk powder and butter. The produced milk powder can be stored for up to one and a half years, while butter can be stored for up to one year at controlled temperatures.