Dairy Dynamics: Exploring Nepal’s Pathways to Prosperity
摘要
The dairy industry in Nepal, a vital part of the Nepalese agricultural sector, has witnessed significant development in recent years, marked by substantial investments from both the governmental and private sectors aimed at its modernization and expansion. This effort culminated in the country’s attainment of self-sufficiency in milk production by the year 2021. Previously, the industry was limited to the production of processed milk, milk-based confections, yogurt, and ghee. However, the sector has diversified with the introduction of various processed milk products in recent years, including cheese, churpi (dog chew), powdered milk, and chocolates, with churpi emerging as a prominent agricultural export, surpassing 3 billion rupees in export value in fiscal year 2023/24 and exhibiting a rapid escalation in both volume and worth. Nevertheless, the sector is not devoid of challenges. Delays in payments to milk producers have surfaced as a pressing issue, and one major reason behind this is the significant stockpiles of powdered milk, nauni, and ghee due to impediments in sales and distribution channels. In response to the cessation of milk price payments, producers in various regions have resorted to public demonstrations, notably by symbolically pouring milk onto the streets. Concomitantly, the dairy industry has curtailed milk consumption and implemented partial milk holidays nationwide. While immediate redressal efforts are underway, including substantial financial injections into the government-operated Dairy Development Corporation (DDC), such interim measures may prove unaffordable and unsustainable in the long term. There are several possibilities for strengthening the organizational, competitive, profitability, and sustainability dimensions of Nepal’s milk production and processing enterprise, which serves as a reliable source of livelihood for millions of farmers. This chapter explores strategies aimed at enhancing the competitiveness, profitability, and sustainability of Nepal’s dairy sector through product diversification, efficient management practices, and innovation across financial product offerings. Furthermore, it also covers requisite policy and administrative reforms at the governmental level, delineating a roadmap toward the realization of a robust and resilient dairy sector.