Ghee (clarified butter; butterfat; butter oil, etc,) has been manufactured and used in India and some of the countries in the Middle East, from time immemorial. Vedic hymns of Indians written about 2000 to 3000 B.C. give frequent references to ghee as "Ghrat" used for diet and religious ceremonies.
At present it is the most important dairy product of India from several aspects. Out of total estimated milk production of 690 million Mds. in India (a Maund being 80lbs.) nearly 52% is converted into ghee, which works out to be 76% of the total manufactured milk products. In the monetary value of 293.4 million pounds for milk and milk products; ghee contributes 100 million pounds, that is about one third of the total value and half of the value of the manufactured milk products. In a typical vegetarian diet of India (the majority of Indians are vegetarians); it is a very valuable source of Vitamin A, D, E, and possible K, and used in a variety of ways, i.e. for cooking, confectionary, religious rites, medicinal and ointment purposes.
