While the state-owned food supplier is preparing to sell 3,000 goats, Nepal Livestock Traders Association (NLTA) plans to bring in 55,000 goats and 45,000 sheep and mountain goats for the festival.[break]
Though the number of goats that NFC is planning to sell during this Dashain cannot meet even a small chunk of the festive demand, the corporation hopes that it would be enough to intervene into the market.
“We are bringing in about 100,000 goats, sheep and mountain goats this Dashain because we expect the demand to increase by 20 percent,” said Deepak Thapa, president of NLTA.
The valley had consumed a total of 83,800 animals, including 53,800 goats, during Dashain last year.
Thapa said the association has been trying to increase supplies from Surkhet, Salyan, Kohalpur, Ramechap, Chitwan, Nuwakot and Janakpur.
NFC officials said they will start bringing goats into the valley from September 28. NLTA officials also said they will bring goats for the festival by September-end.
Hari Narayan Shah, general manager of NFC, said they would bring goats only after Ghatasthapana - the first day of the Dashain festival. “We don´t want to repeat last year´s mistake. We will start selling goats on the day they arrive here,” Shah added.
Thapa also said local suppliers have already left for Tibet to purchase sheep and mountain goats for the festival. “We will start receiving goats and sheep supplies for the festival from the day of Ghatasthapana,” Thapa said, adding that local production meets 60 percent of the demand for goats during Dashain. “But Indian supplies dominate 65 percent of the demand rest of the year.”
Thapa, however, chose to keep mum on the price of live goats. “Price will be determined only after studying demand-supply condition,” he added.
Related story
Import of sheep and mountain goats starts through Tatopani
