DDC begins exporting ghee to Dubai with 600 kg trial shipment

Kathmandu, August 21, 2026 — The Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) has started exporting ghee to Dubai, sending an initial 600-kilogram shipment under an agreement with Rato ra Chandra-Surya International Pvt. Ltd.

The agreement provides for the export of at least 50,000 kilograms of ghee annually. The first shipment is being treated as a trial consignment to gauge demand and assess consumer response in the Dubai market.

Prakash Chandra Ghimire, managing director of Rato ra Chandra-Surya International, said the company is establishing a department store in Dubai through its subsidiary, Matribhoomi General Trading LLC, where the DDC ghee will be sold.

He said the company will place additional orders depending on how the product performs in the market.

The shipment marks DDC’s first entry into Dubai as it seeks to expand its ghee exports beyond its existing overseas destinations and establish a foothold in the wider West Asian market.

According to Ghimire, the ghee has received a health certificate from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control based on laboratory results provided by DDC. The product will undergo another test in Dubai before being approved for sale there.

The ghee is packaged in jars or bottles and has a shelf life of one year, according to the company.

The exporter also plans to introduce other Nepali dairy products to the Dubai market. Ghimire said the company is working on plans to export yak cheese to Dubai in the future.

Nepal’s ghee exports have so far remained limited to a small number of international markets. Data from the Department of Customs show that Nepal exported 39,859 kilograms of ghee worth Rs 43.34 million during the last fiscal year.

Japan was the dominant destination, importing ghee worth Rs 43.28 million. Nepal also exported ghee worth Rs 51,000 to India, Rs 16,000 to the Netherlands and Rs 1,000 to the United Kingdom.