SINDHUPALCHOK: Mude in Lisankhupakhar Rural Municipality–5, Sindhupalchok, long known for its famous potatoes, is gaining recognition for another local product: chhurpi, a traditional Himalayan cheese.
Demand for Mude chhurpi has been rising among both domestic and foreign consumers, with daily sales exceeding Rs 1 million, according to Irash Lama, a local chhurpi and hotel entrepreneur.
Made from milk produced by yaks, cows and buffaloes in high-altitude areas, Mude chhurpi is valued for its distinctive taste. Traders from Kathmandu regularly travel to Mude to purchase the product, along with locally grown potatoes, for resale in major markets.
The area’s cold climate is considered one of the factors contributing to the quality and taste of its traditionally produced chhurpi. Local women produce much of the cheese using traditional household methods.
Mude also serves as a transit point for travelers heading toward Okhaldhunga, Charikot, Jiri and Ramechhap. The steady flow of domestic and international tourists has further expanded the market. Visitors stopping in Mude for food and accommodation frequently purchase chhurpi and potatoes to take home, Lama said.
As Mude chhurpi has begun reaching markets outside Nepal, the local government has started encouraging farmers to increase production, said Raju Lama, chair of Lisankhupakhar Rural Municipality.
According to him, Mude chhurpi has reached markets in India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada, among other countries.
The growing demand, combined with local milk production and traditional processing, is turning chhurpi into an emerging commercial product and a new economic identity for Mude alongside its well-known potatoes.
