Kathmandu, July 8

A market inspection and monitoring team led by the Minister for Commerce and Supplies discovered that two slaughterhouses in Kathmandu were supplying rotten, maggot-infested buffalo meat in the market.

Authorities found huge amounts of maggot-infested buffalo meat in Moj Meat Centre, Satungal operated by Sheikh Mohammad.

Upon inspection, Mohammad was taken to the local police station where he signed a deed requiring him to safely dispose of the rotten meat and maintain cleanliness standards in the slaughterhouse within three days.

An official at the Department of Commerce and Supply Management said that the meat shop and slaughterhouse will be sealed after Mohammad buries the meat and vacates the facility.

In Human Community Slaughterhouse, Teku, officials found meat emitting foul odour.

A meat sample has been sent to the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control for lab test. If any defect or disease is found in the meat upon examination, the inspector may partially or completely prohibit the sale or distribution of such meat as per the Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act-1999.

According to the market-led Quality Meat Production and Processing study conducted by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 2010, the average per capita consumption of meat (buff, mutton, chicken and pork) in Kathmandu is 16 kg.