Kathmandu, October 11

Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) has fixed the price of live goats for Dashain at Rs 510 per kg. Similarly, the price of mountain goats has been set at Rs 710 per kg.

However, customers will get Rs 10 per kg discount on the given rate, according to Shankar Sapkota, spokesperson for NFC.

“Price of live goats has slightly increased this Dashain compared to the previous year as goat price has risen at the source,” informed Sapkota.

During last Dashain, NFC had sold goats at Rs 455 per kg and mountain goats at Rs 675 per kg.

As per him, NFC will start selling goats for Dashain in Kathmandu Valley from Friday (tomorrow) through its Thapathali-based depot.

“Goats meant for Dashain have already arrived in the Valley, and the corporation will start selling them at the fixed rate from tomorrow,” informed Sapkota.

The corporation is selling almost 2,000 live goats and mountain goats in the Valley this Dashain.

While the demand for live goats hovers around 70,000 in the Valley during Dashain, NFC sells a certain number of goats at discounted rate as market intervention to control arbitrary rise in price of goats and provide relief to consumers.

Meanwhile, private livestock traders have said that actual price of goats will be much higher than that determined by NFC.

“Nepal depends on India to cater to more than 60 per cent of the festive demand of goats, and its price has increased significantly in the Indian market,” informed Deepak Thapa, former president of Nepal Livestock Traders Association (NLTA), adding that the tendency of the government to sell a few goats at a discounted rate will only distort the market.

Private traders will start selling live goats for Dashain from Saturday.