Diversification in processing and marketing of yak milk based products

摘要

Nepal was the first country to produce cheese from yak/Chauri milk in the high alpine region of the country. This product is popularly known as yak cheese. Nepal produced around 350 t of cheese during 1998/99, out of which around 150 t was from yak and Chauri milk. This activity is focused in the districts of Mount Everest trekking route and the Rasuwa district, adjoining to the capital city. Many more districts, stretching over the northern alpine region, raise yak as the main means of subsistence. Yak milk is traditionally processed into fermented milk, and then churned out to produce local yak butter and buttermilk. Buttermilk is further processed into sher, a cottage cheese type product. If fermented, produces sewsew, and if pressed and dried or dried without pressing it becomes Chhurpi, a dried hard casein product. Chhurpi is widely consumed by Himalayan people as a source of nutrients, and is chewed to maintain salivation during mountain climbing. Traditional and indigenous technologies are in place to produce milk products that have long shelf life in the yak rearing countries of China, Bhutan, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Nepal and so on. There is a need to upgrade the existing indigenous technology to produce safe and hygienic yak milk products at commercial scale. Human resource development and training facilities, yak milk processing industry association and marketing and promotion are the major issues to be addressed to promote the yak trade. The International Yak Congress should come with a consensus to establish an International Yak Research Centre that could carry out the research, education and training, development of appropriate technology, standardisation of products and processes, and other areas identified by the yak-producing countries. Diversification is very essential to generate sustainable income, and it is only possible when proper practical training and technology is transferred to the beneficiaries.