In welcome news for churpi lovers, churpi made from Mithun has successfully been produced by progressive Mithun farmer Tadang Tamut of the Jomlo Mongku Mithun Farmers’ Federation in Siang district.
Mithun churpi, the latest innovation, was developed in collaboration with the National Research Centre for Mithun (NRCM) in Medziphema, Nagaland, and made its debut at the recently held Mithun Mela-cum-Technology Injection Program at Dem village in Keyi Panyor district.
Churpi is typically made from yak milk or a crossbreed of yak with other animals, and it is mostly confined to the West Kameng and Tawang districts in the state, as well as other colder regions of the Himalayas and neighboring countries such as Bhutan and Nepal.
If given the right technological support, Mithun churpi could drastically change the local economy and become a source of income for Mithun farmers, given the wide popularity of churpi as a popular snack and as a condiment in various cuisines.
With the government placing emphasis on self-employment, this is the right opportunity for the government to invest in mass production, as churpi is still imported from other Himalayan states.