People from Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun, Lamjung, Syangja, Pokhara and nearby villagers are seen busy selecting mountain goats in Hemja for the Dashain festival. [break]
“I have been purchasing mountain goat for Dashain for the last many years,” said 50-year-old Yam Bahadur Karki of Bharatpur. “I prefer mountain goats for Dashain as the meat of mountain goat is tastier and healthier than goats,” Karki said, while selecting mountain goat for the festival.
He further added that he has been coming to Hemja to buy mountain goats because they are not available in Chitwan.
Another buyer, Bal Bahadur Magar, said he finds meat of mountain goats tastier than even the improved breed of goats as they are reared in cold climatic conditions. “I have been buying mountain goats for the last many years, because they are available only during Dashain,” he added.
Traders in Mustang buy mountain goats from different parts of the district like Lomanthang, Chhoser, Ghiling and Kagbeni and even from Tibet and send them to Pokhara, Kathmandu and other cities.
“Customers mostly prefer mountain goats because mountain goats from Mustang are available only during Dashain,” said Bishnu Hari Baral, who has been selling mountain goats for the last one decade. “Mountain goats are a bit expensive as we don´t buy them directly with the farmers. We have to buy from traders,” he added.
He also said mountain goats are expensive as it takes about a week to bring them to Pokhara from Mustang. “Besides, traders have to pay taxes and donation to different government agencies and social groups. All this add up to the price,” he added.
Traders are selling mountain goats for Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per head.
Mountain goats dearer
Traders have said the price of mountain goats has increased by about Rs 1,500 per head as compared to the prices recorded last year.
“We had sold mountain goats at around Rs 8,500 per head last year. This year we are selling them for about Rs 10,000 per head,” said Ramesh Khadgi, who has brought 1,400 mountain goats to Pokhara by spending Rs 9.4 million.
“It is natural for the price to rise as we have witnessed significant rise in prices of other essential commodities,” Khadgi said, adding that the prices could have come down had they not been forced to pay taxes and donations to different government agencies and social groups.
Khadgi said he makes a profit of around Rs 2,000 per head.
Though traders bring around 25,000 mountain goats to Pokhara every year, there is no record about the number of goats sent to Kathmandu and other neighboring districts.
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