Chusang Nangdel Gurung of Upper Mustang earned Rs 800,000 this year by selling 100 sheep and goats. “I even didn´t have to take the goats and sheep to the marketplace as local businessmen came to my house to offer good prices,” said Chusang. [break]
Every year thousands of sheep and mountain goats are brought down to Baglung bazaar, Parbat and Pokhara from Upper Mustang during the Dashain festival. When there is not enough supply to meet the demand, the farmers import mountain goats and sheep from Tibet.
According to Mustang District Agriculture Office, this year farmers from Mustang have brought down around 40,000 sheep and goats for sale. “Around 40,000 sheep and mountain goats have been brought down to Pokhara from Mustang,” said Chief of Mustang Animal Health Office Dr Guru Prasad Khakurel.
Chepten Gurung of Chooser VDC-3 in Mustang district who has reached Baglung bazaar with 100 sheep and mountain goats said he made good money this year. He said he made a profit of around Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 in the sale of each mountain goat and sheep in Baglung bazaar. “This year each farmer selling goats and sheep will earn anything from Rs 500,000 to Rs 2,000, 000,” he added.
Khakurel said that each year the number of farmers involved goat rearing has been increasing. This year the farmers in Mustang were able to produce a total of 80,000 sheep and mountain goats.
According to Khakurel, around 300 farmers in Mustang are involved in this business.
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