Export of Nepali dog chew hits record Rs. 4 billion

Kathmandu, July 4: Nepal’s dog chew industry has shown impressive growth over the past one decade. In the 11 months of the current fiscal year, its export hit a record Rs. 4 billion. This marks a staggering jump from Rs. 1.22 billion recorded in the fiscal year 2019/20 — an increase of over 227 per cent in five years.  

In the fiscal year 2014/15, only 276 tonnes of dog chew worth Rs. 284 million was exported. 

According to trade statistics of the Department of Customs, Nepal exported 2,265 tonnes of dog chew products amounting Rs. 4 billion during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, a sharp rise from 1,537 tonnes valued at Rs. 2.97 billion during the same period last fiscal year. 

This growth of more than Rs. 1 billion year-on-year underlines the increasing global demand for Nepal’s pet food products — particularly dog chews made from natural ingredients like yak and cow milk.

The data indicates a consistent upward trajectory in exports, though there was a slight dip in fiscal year 2023/24. Nepal exported 1,646 tonnes of dog chew worth Rs. 3.18 billion in the fiscal year 2023/24 — down from 1,786 tonnes valued at Rs. 3.40 billion in 2022/23. 

The country exported 1,744 tonnes of dog chew worth Rs. 2.91 billion in 2021/22 and 1,263 tonnes worth Rs. 1.96 billion in 2020/21.

Despite the temporary slowdown, the industry quickly regained momentum in 2024/25.

Nepal’s dog chews—also known as “chhurpi” or Himalayan chew—are emerging as a premium export in the global pet treat market, fueled by rising demand in United States of America and beyond, said Dr. Ramnand Tiwari, Director General, Department of Livestock Service.

Dr. Tiwari said that the growing export of dog chew making a record in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year was a matter of happiness for Nepal.

In a decade, Nepal exported dog chew worth Rs. 20 billion. The export amount crossed one billion rupees from the fiscal year 2018/19.

Likewise, about 636 tonnes of dog chew worth Rs. 1.05 billion was exported in the fiscal year 2018/19 while 576 tonnes dog chew worth Rs. 858 million had been exported in 2017/18. 

Similarly, 377 tonnes of dog chew worth Rs. 548 million was exported in 2016/17 and 316 tonnes worth Rs. 427 million in 2015/16. "The mutual efforts from the government, private sector and the farmers in the field of milk production and export of chhurpi have made this achievement. The increasing demand from international market has encouraged us, including farmers and producers for milk production as well as showed the potential it holds," he said.

The Department of Livestock Service is playing a crucial role for market facilitation in international market for its export and resolve, he said.

Vice Chairperson of Nepal Veterinary Council Dr. Manoj Kumar Shahi expressed hope that if the dog chew product can be further promoted in the international market, its exports will soon double.

"Dog chew products produced in Nepal are preferred by buyers in the international market as Himalayan natural products. Therefore, our efforts should be focused on increasing production as well as marketing in the European market," he said.

"Dog chew has become a potential product for Nepal that can be exported to the global market and the country's current large trade deficit reduced. With the increasing demand for dog chews as a natural Himalayan product from abroad, farmers are more interested in raising cows and yaks. Meanwhile, the number of factories producing dog chews is also increasing," he said.

In the meantime, the Department is also coordinating with the provincial and local governments to increase milk production, he added. "Considering the growth of export of dog chew, we are planning to register trade mark of dog chew which supports in market promotion as well as export enhancement," Tiwari told The Rising Nepal.

A programme to control the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is underway, and zoning and compartmentalisation guidelines are being prepared, he said. Similarly, he said that standards for the production and processing of chhurpi are being prepared.

It is estimated that chhurpi alone consumes about 16 per cent of Nepal's milk production, Dr, Shahi added.

USA dominant dog chew market

The United States remains the largest importer of Nepali dog chew products, accounting for approximately 87 per cent of total exports. In addition to the U.S., Nepal now exports dog chews to over two dozen countries, signaling diversification and growing global confidence in Nepal’s pet food manufacturing, said Shahi. 

The chhurpi is being exported to Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, republic of Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Viet Nam.

Of the total export of 2,265 tonnes by mid-June 2025 of the current fiscal year, the United States of America imported around 1,888 tonnes worth Rs. 3.49 billion. Similarly, Canada imported 138 tonnes worth Rs. 308 million and Japan 143 tonnes worth Rs. 52 million, UK 21 tonnes worth Rs. 59 million during the review period of the current fiscal year.

Dr. Shahi attributes this dominance to strong demand in the U.S. for natural, high-protein pet treats, combined with Nepal’s growing reputation for quality and sustainable production.

He said that dog chews that are currently being exported from Nepal to the US are being rebranded and exported to Europe, adding that it is quite possible to export directly from Nepal to Europe by meeting certain standards. The customs exemption given for dog chew export from this year's budget and the implementation of zoning and compartmentalisation of FMD disease are expected to create an environment for further exports to European countries in the days to come, he said.