The Hon’ble Agriculture Minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor, formally inaugurated the milk collection center at Gongthung, Trashigang Dzongkhag yesterday, April 19, 2022 . The Director of the Department of Agriculture, Planning Officer PPD, MoAF, Regional Marketing Coordinator RAMCO Mongar, Program Director of CARLEP, and other relevant officials from respective Dzongkhags were present at the inaugural ceremony.

The MCC will benefit 57 dairy farmers in Layphu and Shokhang Chiwog. With the standard construction of the MCC which is equipped with better facilities, more milk will be pooled in from dairy farmers and more than 500ml of milk will be supplied to Koufuko International Limited (KIL), Chenari daily throughout the year. This will enable country to maintain self-sufficiency in dairy products while reducing dairy imports as well as increasing returns to smallholder dairy farmers.

In addition to the structure, the dairy farmers are supported with milk chillers, deep freezers, milk cans, a butter churner and fodder development with fund support from CARLEP-IFAD and technical assistance from the Dzongkhag livestock sector, RLDC Khangma and Gewog administration.

Reported by Chhimi Lhamo, GKMO, OPM