New Delhi, 29 July (H.S.): Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has described the export of the first consignment of Purabi Ice Cream from Assam to Bhutan as a remarkable achievement for India. He said the initiative would create new income opportunities, expand access to international markets, and strengthen the livelihoods of dairy farmers in the Northeast.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Piyush Goyal said Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had launched the export of Purabi Ice Cream to Bhutan by the West Assam Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Limited, marking a significant milestone for the country.

He said the achievement, facilitated with support from APEDA documentation, reflects the growing strength of India’s dairy sector and its ability to compete at the global level. He added that the initiative would also open new avenues for dairy farmers across the region.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in a statement, said that Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off the first export consignment of Purabi Ice Cream to Bhutan from Guwahati on July 28. The consignment, being exported by North East Dairy and Foods Limited (NEDFL), will supply Purabi Ice Cream to key Bhutanese markets, including Thimphu, Paro, Phuentsholing and Wangdue.

The ministry stated that the move would further strengthen the presence of dairy products from Assam and the Northeast in neighbouring international markets. It described the export as an important milestone for Assam’s dairy sector and the export of processed food products from the Northeastern region.

The first international consignment of 5,627 litres of Purabi Ice Cream from Assam to Bhutan marks a new beginning for value-added dairy exports from the region and is expected to create further opportunities for expanding India’s presence in global markets.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar