“The demand of mutton has drastically soared lately due to bird flu concern” said Shivahari Shrestha, NFC general manager. Goats are sold in the capital through different outlets of NFC besides the local market.[break]
According to Shrestha, more than 1,600 goats have been sold through NFC´s fair price outlets since October 2, and the number of customers increased this year by 50 percent compared to the last year.
“By Wednesday, even huge flows of customers were seen at NFC´s outlets at Thapathali in Kathmandu and Nakkhu in Lalitpur. Most probably, all the he-goats will be sold by Friday, and we are not in a position to supply more goats this year,” Shrestha told Republica.
“We could supply only 2,900 goats this year because due to the shortage in the districts from where we pick them,” Shrestha added.
NFC had planned to supply as much as 3,400 goats to the capital from different districts.
This year NFC has sourced goats from different collection centers from Nepalgunj, Birgunj, Dang, Surkhet and Lahan.
According to NFC, around 200 goats were brought to the capital on Wednesday as the last batch of delivery.
NFC has set the price of live goat with weight below 20 kg at Rs 370 per kg. In the same way, goats weighing 20-24 kg, 25-30 kg and above 30 kg are being sold at Rs 385, Rs 390 and Rs 395 per kg, respectively.
NFC sells goats in subsidized price every Dashain in a bid to assist consumers who usually get hit by the price hike in the general market during the festive season.
Similarly, Deepak Thapa, president of Nepal Livestock Trader´s Association (NLTA), said “Around 22, 000 goats have been sold by Wednesday, and the consumers are still thronging livestock markets at Balkhu, Tukucha, Bijulibajar and Banepa.”
NLTA has fixed the price ranging from a minimum of Rs 385 per kg to the maximum of Rs 410 per kg.
According to Thapa, they have sourced a large number of goats from the places such as Nepalgunj, Salyan, Surkhet, Nuwakot, Ramechhap and Dhading, besides India.
“On an average, 3,800 goats were sold a day till Tuesday, but the demand drastically on Wednesday with the festival just round the corner. We fear that our total supply would not meet the demand for Dashain,” he added.
NLTA has planned to supply around 50,000 goats and 6,000 sheep and mountain goats, targeting the festival.
Thapa added that the price of live goat might surge to Rs 450 per kg during Tihar due to the short supply.
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