Why Does Bilona Ghee Cost More? Where the Price of Real Ghee Goes

By Thaaro Foods · 8 October 2026

A jar of bilona ghee costs more than the ghee on most shop shelves. Here is where that money goes, from the milk to the slow fire.

Put a jar of bilona ghee next to an ordinary packet of ghee and the price gap is hard to miss. It is a fair question to ask what the extra money pays for. Here is the honest answer.

1. It takes a lot of milk

Ghee is only the fat of milk. Cow's milk is mostly water, with only a few per cent fat, so a small jar of ghee starts as a large pot of milk. As a rough guide, with desi cow milk it takes something like 25 to 30 litres of milk to make one litre of ghee the bilona way; buffalo milk is richer in fat and takes less. The milk is most of the cost of every jar.

2. Desi cows give less milk

Native breeds usually give less milk a day than crossbred cows, and they are cared for the same either way: fodder, water, shelter and a vet when needed. Less milk from each cow means each litre costs more. See what A2 ghee means.

3. Curd first, then churning

Most ghee in shops is made from cream (malai) separated by machine and heated straight into ghee. Bilona ghee takes the long road:

1. The whole milk is boiled, cooled and set as curd overnight.
2. The curd is churned with a wooden bilona until the butter comes up.
3. The butter is cooked slowly on a low flame into ghee.

Each step takes hours and hands, and churning curd gives less butter than spinning cream. The buttermilk left over is drunk at home as chaas; it cannot be sold in a jar. Watch our process, step by step.

4. Slow cooking, small batches

Butter cooked slowly gives the grainy texture and the nutty aroma bilona ghee is known for, but a slow fire means fewer batches in a day. Small batches also mean each one can be checked and given a batch number. Thaaro publishes lab reports by batch.

Why some ghee is so cheap

When a price looks too good to be true, ask how the ghee was made and from which milk. Cream ghee made in bulk is cheaper to make, and cheaper still if it is not pure ghee at all. Read how to read a ghee label and how to check ghee at home.

Getting the best value

• Buy the size you use: a larger jar usually costs less per ml. Ghee keeps well at room temperature; see how to store ghee.
• Use it where it counts: a spoon on hot dal or roti, a tadka, sweets. A little bilona ghee goes a long way.
• Free delivery: orders of ₹799 and above ship free.

Compare sizes of our A2 cow ghee and bilona buffalo ghee.

Questions

Why is A2 bilona ghee more expensive than regular ghee?

It takes a lot of milk from desi cows, which give less milk than crossbred cows, and it is made the slow way: curd, hand churning and slow cooking, in small batches.

How much milk does it take to make one litre of ghee?

As a rough guide, about 25 to 30 litres of desi cow milk by the bilona method. Buffalo milk has more fat, so it takes less.

Is cheap ghee always bad?

Not always, but it is usually made from cream in bulk, and very cheap ghee may not be pure. Check the label, the maker and the FSSAI licence.