Bhutan's Daily Milk Run Serves Indian Consumers

Every morning before sunrise, a dairy cooperative from Gelephu, Bhutan, transports fresh milk across the border to Dadgari in Assam, India, where strong consumer demand has created a thriving cross-border dairy trade.

The Gelephu Om Detshen dairy cooperative, comprising 134 active members owning 402 milking cows, operates 10 milk collection centres and delivers around 220 litres of fresh milk per trip to Indian customers. During peak production periods, the cooperative makes two daily trips, although deliveries are reduced to one trip in winter and spring due to seasonal declines in milk yield linked to feed availability and animal health.

Bhutanese milk has earned a reputation for freshness and reliability despite being slightly more expensive than locally sourced alternatives, making it the preferred choice for households, tea stalls, sweet shops, temples, hotels and even security personnel near the border. Beyond exports to India, the cooperative also supplies milk to the Gelephu Bounty Market, local sweet shops and ice cream parlours within Bhutan.

The initiative provides a vital source of income for rural dairy farmers while demonstrating how organized dairy cooperatives can successfully tap cross-border markets through efficient collection, logistics and consistent product quality.

Source: Dairynews7x7 30 June, 2026 Read full article here

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