BAGLUNG: A 10-ton capacity cold storage facility has been constructed and brought into operation in Baglung to store ghee at the appropriate temperature, helping ensure product quality and stability in the local dairy market.
The cold store was built at a total cost of Rs 2 million within a dairy industry established by the Baglung Dairy Cooperative Association, which has long been engaged in collecting, processing, and marketing milk from local farmers.
According to Deepak Gautam, Chairman of the Dairy Cooperative Association, the project received a 50 percent grant—Rs 1 million—from the Directorate of Livestock and Fisheries Development, with the remaining cost covered by the cooperative itself.
Gautam said the new facility has greatly assisted the cooperative, which collects, processes, and markets around 3,500 liters of milk daily from over 1,400 farmers in the district. The cold store ensures that ghee, a byproduct of excess milk processed into chhurpi (cheese), is kept at optimal temperatures and stored until sold.
“There are fluctuations in milk demand—sometimes we can’t meet it, other times there’s a surplus. When we make chhurpi, large quantities of ghee are produced, but the market doesn’t absorb it all at once,” Gautam explained. “Our small refrigerators were insufficient. This 10-ton capacity cold store, supported by the subsidy, has provided significant relief.”
The ghee is currently stored at sub-zero temperatures in the cold store, preserving its quality for extended periods. The cooperative is currently selling ghee at Rs 1,500 per kilogram.
In the fiscal year 2024/25, the cooperative association purchased and marketed 992,000 liters of milk worth Rs 89.3 million. In Baglung, which is considered self-sufficient in milk production, 24 primary cooperatives and one umbrella association are actively involved in milk collection and sales. The association also produces a range of dairy products including cheese, chhurpi, ghee, and khuwa.
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