KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 23

The import of live animals and meat items has dropped considerably following the government's initiative to promote local production, paving the way for domestic traders to gain the upper hand in the market this Dashain.

According to the Department of Customs, the import value of live animals stood at Rs 1.7 million in fiscal 2021-22. In the first month of the current fiscal year, just over 23,000 live animals have been imported, a significant decrease compared to the first month of last fiscal year when 138,821 live animals were imported. Likewise, 372,358 live animals were imported in the second month of the last fiscal year.

According to Yubaraj Parajuli, a member of the operating committee of Nepal Chaupaya Kharid Bikri Tatha Krishi Farm Group, over 40,000 goats are estimated to arrive in Kathmandu for sales purposes.

'We have estimated about 25,000 goats to enter the market through our firm, while more goats will be sold through other markets,' he said.

Parajuli also said that the dependency on imports to meet the valley's demands has decreased considerably this year. 'While 80 per cent of demands were fulfilled by imports until last year, the goats raised by local farmers will be enough to cover 60 per cent of the demand this year. Although we have seen a demand of over 3,000 goats per day during Dashain, we are not sure how it will turn out this year,' Parajuli shared. 'Most of the sales happen during the first and second day of the festival while the wholesale market for meat traders will open in a few days.'

While most parts of the country are reliant on local production for supply, major cities rely on some imports to meet the demands. As Dashain is considered one of the main festivals of the country, about 50,000 goats are sold in the Kathmandu valley during this period, according to the Department of Livestock Services.

'Around five million goats are consumed in Nepal each year. Of them, almost 50 per cent are consumed across the country during Dashain alone. Although the goat population exceeds over 10 million in the country, just 36 per cent of them enter the market. The demand in Kathmandu valley exceeds 50,000 goats in the festive season,' Chandra Dhakal, senior livestock development officer of the Department of Livestock Services, told The Himalayan Times.

'While around 35,000 goats are sold in the market through Kalanki Khashi Bazaar in Dashain alone, the remaining goats are sold by individual farmers and vendors around the valley. We have conducted a meeting with concerned stakeholders, including traders association, to ease the market flow as well as conduct health checkup of the goats entering the market,' he said.

Dhakal mentioned that the government bodies and vendors are working towards promoting local production, adding that attention has also been given to market inspection as well as health checkups of the goats. However, he said that the livestock farmers are still facing difficulties in finding a market for their produce as most of the farms remain scattered. 'As farms remain scattered, lack of capacity, infrastructure, services, awareness and coordination with market vendors make it difficult to supply their products in the market,' he added.

Similarly, the National Food Corporation will also sell 3,000 goats, including Himalayan goats, in the market for Dashain.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 24, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.