Nepal's Churpi Becomes Major Export Item, Government Unveils Strategy
Summary
Nepal's churpi, a traditional hard cheese dog chew, has become a major export product with significant growth in volume and value, aided by a new government strategic plan to enhance production and market presence globally.
Key Points
- Nepal's churpi exports have grown from 276 metric tons in FY 2071/072 to 2,610 metric tons in FY 2081/082, with export value rising from 280 million to over 4.5 billion rupees.
- The United States is the largest importer of Nepali churpi, followed by Canada, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and various European countries.
- The government has launched a 5-year National Strategic Action Plan to strengthen milk production, enhance quality and production capacity, expand markets, and improve policy and institutions related to churpi exports.
- Challenges include raw material shortages, climate change impacts, outdated technology, and the lack of a separate HS code for churpi in international trade statistics.
