Assam Exports First Dairy Shipment of Purabi Ice Cream to Bhutan

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off the first-ever commercial export of dairy products from Assam to Bhutan on July 28, 2026. The inaugural shipment consists of 5,627 litres of Purabi Premium ice cream in multiple flavors and formats, destined for markets in Thimphu, Paro, Phuentsholing, and Wangdue.

The ice cream was manufactured by the West Assam Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Limited using milk sourced from dairy farmers across the state and was marketed by North East Dairy and Foods Limited. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority facilitated the regulatory and documentation processes required for the shipment. This expansion follows an increase in Purabi Dairy's daily processing capacity from 60,000 to 1.5 lakh litres, supported by the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the achievement opens new avenues for dairy farmers across North East India. North East Dairy and Foods Limited plans to monitor consumer response in Bhutan before expanding the export portfolio to include dairy products with longer shelf lives.