A workshop to produce yak cheese is expected to be established in Murgab district of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

According to the GBAO regional administration, the equipment has already been delivered to the region and Shiri Kuhiston enterprise will be engaged in producing yak milk products.

According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Agriculture of Tajikistan, as of January 1, 2019 there were more than 20,000 head of yaks in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region; of them, 19,000 head of yaks were in Murgab district.  

The study carried out by researchers Canada's University of Guelph.in Nepal shows that cheese from grass-fed yaks may have better fatty acid profile than cheese from grain-fed cows. 

Yak cheese may have certain nutritional advantages over conventional cheddar cheese, the study shows.

The yak cheese was reportedly three times higher in omega-3 fatty acids than the cheddar cheese. Omega-3 fatty acids have been studied for various health benefits, including heart health.  In particular, yak cheese was rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid also found in flaxseeds and other plants.

The yak cheese was also richer in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to have “a range of positive health benefits” against cancer, body fat gain, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions, according to the researchers.