CHITWAN, Jan 30: An agreement was signed between Kathmandu and Beijing on the export of buffalo meat during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's visit to China.
The agreement between the two countries has paved the way for the legal export of processed buffalo meat from Nepal to China. However, there are growing challenges to meat exports with the continuous decline in livestock farming in Nepal.
According to statistics from Nepal, the number of cows and buffaloes has significantly decreased. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD)’s data shows that the buffalo population has fallen by 20 percent in the last two years. Dr Krishna Kanta Neupane, former secretary at the MoALD said that in such a scenario, it will be difficult for Nepal to export meat to China.
“Currently, the amount of beef produced in the country is almost limited to meeting domestic demand,” Neupane said while presenting a working paper at a program organized by the Province Dairy Development Board, Bagmati in Chitwan. “If commercial beef farming is not expanded to benefit from the agreement, exporting meat to China will be challenging.”
Non-violence advocates protest agreement to export buffalo meat...
According to Neupane, the number of buffaloes has reduced by 2.078 million in two years. In the fiscal year 2020/21, there were 5.159 million buffaloes. However there were only 3.82 million buffaloes in the fiscal year in 2022/23. Of these, 2.65 million buffaloes underwent artificial insemination in the last fiscal year 2023/24.
He added that the production of buffalo meat is decreasing. Meat production in Nepal had also decreased by 77,500 metric tons. Last year, 116,000 metric tons of meat was produced in Nepal. He indicated that if the number of buffaloes continues to decrease, Nepal may face a situation where it will have to import meat. “Nepal requires 14 kg of meat per person per year. Currently, we have 21 kg available,” he said. “However, there is concern as the number of buffaloes has been decreasing.”
According to the Department of Customs, Nepal exported 105 metric tons of buffalo meat and meat products in the fiscal year 2023/24.
The number of buffaloes giving milk has also decreased. According to the MoALD's data, it has dropped from 1.66 million to 851,000. He said that due to the decline in animal husbandry, farmers have been reducing the number of animals as farm costs have increased and profits have suffered.
He said that the government should launch programs to reduce the cost of livestock farming by focusing on the internal costs of the shed. “There is no land in the Terai districts. People have stopped living in the hills,” he said, “If we promote fodder farming, livestock farming will become easier.”
He said that silage (gundruk) has been developed as a very good feed for buffaloes in recent times, and it can be produced at low cost.
Provincial Dairy Development Board Director Dr Ram Prakash Pradhan said that the government will increase investment in the coming days to protect Nepali farmers. Stating that the National Dairy Development Board has finally received leadership, he said that since a total budget of Rs 12 million has been allocated from Bagmati province for the silage incentive and promotion program for the current fiscal year. He stated that it is necessary to double this amount by the upcoming fiscal year.
Kishore Wagle, president of Chitwan Milk Producers’ Cooperative Association, has stated that farmers in Chitwan have been suffering due to issues with the Dairy Development Institute. He has called for the provincial government and the Bagmati Provincial Dairy Development Board to take notice and take action on the matter.
He said that since Bagmati province has the highest milk production in the country, the concerned government should work on this issue. He said that to solve the problems seen in the dairy production sector, the provincial government needs to establish a lab in Chitwan to test the quality of milk, dairy products and silage.
Bagmati Provincial Policy and Planning Commission member Dr Dipendra Shrestha assured that the government is in favor of increasing investment in the agricultural sector in the coming days. “Since 2066 BS, there has been more physical development. Now, we will invest in production instead of physical development,” he said. “We will invest in breeding improvement in animal husbandry, agricultural loan security, and construction of powder plants.”
