Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam has entered the international dairy market. On Tuesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off the first export of 5,627 litres of Purabi ice cream to Bhutan. This shipment marks a major shift for the state, moving from simple milk production to value-added dairy exports.
The West Assam Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Limited manufactured the ice cream, while North East Dairy and Foods Limited handled the marketing. The products will head to Thimphu, Paro, Phuentsholing, and Wangdue. These towns will receive a mix of cups, family packs, cones, and gallon packs for retail and institutional buyers.
Sarma praised the move at the ceremony. "This export marks a proud milestone for Assam and reflects the growing strength of our dairy sector. Purabi ice cream is made from milk produced by farmers across the state, and its entry into the Bhutanese market will create new opportunities for our dairy cooperatives and rural producers. Our government remains committed to supporting value addition, expanding market access and taking more quality products from Assam to national and international markets," he said.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority assisted with all regulatory paperwork. Sunita Rai, the agency’s deputy general manager, confirmed they are pushing to get Northeast food products into global trade lanes. Cooperation Minister and NEDFL Chairman Kaushik Rai noted that the entire supply chain relies on local farmers across Assam. He plans to monitor demand and build a solid distribution network in the country.
Purabi Dairy has grown fast lately. Support from the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project helped boost their processing capacity from 60 tonnes of liquid milk per day to 150. Their ice cream plant now turns out 60,000 litres per month. The company eyes future expansion into other products once they test the Bhutanese market.
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