Kathmandu, October 2

As many as 67,500 goats — around 65,000 by livestock traders and 2,500 by Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) — were sold in Kathmandu Valley during Dashain this year.

If their claim is to be believed, Valley dwellers consumed almost 15,000 more goats, including mountain goats and he-goats, this Dashain compared to last Dashain, when traders had been able to sell only 50,000 goats in the Valley’s market.

“Livestock sales this year has been encouraging as the demand for meat in Kathmandu Valley this year was quite impressive,” said Deepak Thapa, president of Nepal Livestock Traders Association.

According to livestock traders, they sold a goat at an average price of Rs 14,000 — this roughly translates to more than Rs 910 million worth of goat meat consumed in the Kathmandu Valley during Dashain this year.

Traders have attributed the growth in demand for goat meat during Dashain this year to the anti-drink and drive campaign launched by the government, which forced Valley dwellers to stay home and entertain themselves with meat and beverages.

Private livestock traders sold live goats this year at an average rate of Rs 500 per kilogram, which was Rs 50 per kilogram more compared to goat price in the previous Dashain.

“Despite goat meat getting dearer this Dashain due to increased transportation cost, the livestock business this year was highly encouraging,”

added Thapa.

Meanwhile, the government-owned NFC also sold 2,500 goats and mountain goats that amounted to almost Rs 35 million during Dashain this year. However, NFC had sold live goats at a subsidised rate of Rs 455 per kilogram. During last Dashain, NFC had sold goats at subsidised rate of Rs 450 per kilogram.

Every year during Dashain, NFC has been selling a certain number of goats at subsidised rate to facilitate festive consumers and control overpricing of goats, especially from private traders.