Bhim Bahadur Khatri, a small scale farmer in Mehelkuna VDC in Surkhet district, had raised a dozen of goats in the hopes of making a handsome profit by selling them during Dashain, the festival during which goat meats are consumed excessively. [break]
But the ban on supply of livestock through passenger vehicles is likely to jeopardize is earning prospects.
“Given our poor economic condition, it is not possible for us to rent trucks to supply a few goats all the way to the capital. Now, we must sell our goats at a low price to the big traders in the district, who are sure to make handsome profits out of our compulsion,” Khatri grumbled.
From August 29, the District Administration Office, Surkhet has stepped up security in the district to prevent transport of livestock through passenger vehicles.
Chief District Officer Pursottam Kuwar said the authority has imposed the ban as the law prohibits supply of livestock through passenger vehicles. “We received a volley of complaints from passengers about difficulties they have to face while traveling due to the presence of animals in the vehicles. In a move to address their plight, we have asked farmers to supply goats and sheep vehicles that carry animals,” added Kuwar.
“Following the ban, we have been forced to wait for several weeks to supply our goats to other parts of the country, especially, Kathmandu. A single farmer with poor economic background cannot hire a truck,” said Khatri.
To comply with the rule, farmers have begun hire trucks jointly to ferry the goats to the capital. “But this process is lengthy and difficult in itself. As the goats do not get proper food for a long time, the health condition of the animals get worse, and in some cases, they even die,” said Govinda Pathak, former president of Nepal Livestock Traders Association (NLTA).
Pathak said if the situation continues, the price of the goat meat during the festival may go up. “The ban only benefits big traders in the districts. The government should allow small scale farmers to supply their livestock in passenger vehicles while making sure that passengers traveling in the vehicles are not disturbed,” he stressed.
“The government law is not agriculture-friendly. If the government continues the ban, I don´t think it will encourage farmers to opt for livestock farming in the future,” opined Phatak.
Along with the small scale farmers in Surkhet district, many farmers from districts like Dang, Salyan, Udayapur, Nuwakot and Dhading, among others, are lately complaining that they have been facing difficulties from the authorities whenever they have tried to supply their goats in passenger vehicles.
Pathak accused the government of promoting supply of Indian goats into Nepali market indirectly by not allowing locally produced goats to reach the market.
According to Deepak Thapa, president of NLTA, around 70 percent of the goats of the total demand in the capital are supplied from India and remaining 30 percent goats are brought to the capital from various districts of the country.
The national goat trading is shrinking further due to the government ban on the supply of goats using passenger vehicles ahead of the festival Dashain, said Thapa.
NLTA has informed that around 60,000 goats, including mountain goats and sheep, will be brought into the Kathmandu Valley for the Dashain festival.
Tek Prasad Luitel, deputy spokesperson at Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD), said that all goat traders must abide by the Transportation Guidelines enforced by the government on 2007. “We cannot do anything to ease the farmers´ problem right now. They have to follow the guidelines and hire a cargo trucks and supply the goats,” he said.
Few days ago, a team led by Thapa had reached MoAD and reported about the problem faced by small scale farmers in the country to Agriculture Minister Tek Bahadur Thapa Gharti.
“During the meeting, Gharti assured us to lift the ban and ease the livestock supply. But we still doubt the government will show any generosity in this regard,” said Thapa quoting Gharti.
Likewise, the team has also submitted a memorandum to Ministry of Home Affairs.
“As the festival provides a major business opportunity to poor farmers, the government should not put such hurdles. We are ready to hold a joint meeting with the government authorities and other stakeholders to manage the supply of locally produced goats and expand its market nationally,” concluded Thapa.
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