Herat exports up to 20 metric tons of dairy products, including dried yogurt balls (qurut) and clarified butter, to Iran and Türkiye each month.
Abdul Rahim Osmani, head of the Herat Dairy Union, told Khate-nakhost that the province currently produces between 130 and 140 metric tons of milk per day.
He said around 200 dairy shops operate across Herat city, while 10 industrial dairy companies based in the Herat Industrial Park process and package dairy products.
According to Osmani, Herat’s dairy production not only supplies domestic markets across Afghanistan but is also exported to Iran and, in larger volumes, to Türkiye. He noted that approximately 80 metric tons of the province’s daily milk output is processed and packaged through industrial facilities.
Osmani added that Herat’s sheep-milk qurut, a traditional dried dairy product, has gained strong demand in the Turkish market due to its high quality.
Meanwhile, officials from the Dutch Committee operating in western Afghanistan say the livestock sector has made significant progress in recent years. The organization works in animal health, livestock development, and farmer training programs across the region.
Mohammad Hamed Shams, the committee’s regional representative, said livestock owners are now better informed about milk collection practices and dairy production techniques.
“In the past, dairy processing was largely carried out using traditional methods and basic equipment,” Shams said. “Today, with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and development organizations, dairy processing and packaging standards have improved considerably.”
Hedayatullah Ahmadi, a representative of Shirgah Dairy Products Company in Herat Industrial Park, said demand for dairy products typically rises during the current season, and that the company produces up to 250 metric tons of dairy products daily.
He said the company uses fresh milk from local dairy farms to produce a range of products, including cheese, cream, pizza cheese, butter, and various pure dairy fats.
To mark World Milk Day, local authorities and industry representatives gathered in Herat for the province’s first-ever official celebration of the occasion.
Despite the sector’s growth, dairy producers and industry stakeholders say greater support for domestic production is still needed. They argue that reducing dairy imports and strengthening local industries would help Afghanistan move closer to self-sufficiency in the dairy sector.
