KATHMANDU, Oct 3: About 70,000 goats are being prepared for sale in urban areas targeting the festival, according to the Department of Livestock Services. Preparations are being made to bring in goats from pocket areas to urban areas so that there is no shortage of meat during the Dashain and Tihar festivals.
According to the data obtained by the department through Heifer International, about 2,000 members of the livestock cooperatives have prepared about 50,000 goats for sale during the festival. Similarly, farmers affiliated to the Goat Entrepreneurs Association are planning to sell another 20,000 to 30,000 goats.
81,000 goats ready for Dashain
Dr Chandra Dhakal, spokesperson for the Department of Livestock Services, said, preparations are underway to sell 70,000 goats this Dashain. "There will be no shortage of goat meat during the festival," said Dhakal. “Domestic production has met the demand this year but some of it comes from India as well.” Goats are ready in pocket areas because of which the market will not witness any shortage this year. “Prepared goats are sold in the market based on the demand,” said Dhakal.
Goats are produced in pocket areas including Udayapur, Sindhuli, Khotang, Siraha, Salyan, Dang, Kailali, Jajarkot and other districts. The goats will be sold in big cities including Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Butwal. In the first week of Dashain alone, an average of 50,000 goats are consumed in the Kathmandu Valley. Consumption is likely to decline somewhat this year as the risk COVID-19 infection remains. The department has also prepared an action plan to supply healthy meat during the festival.
According to the Department of Livestock Services, the country produces 552,000 metric tons of meat annually. Only 398 metric tons of meat have been imported from abroad. The department claims that there should be a minimum of 14 kg of meat per person per year, but the current supply is more than required. “Only 0.07 percent of the meat consumed in the country has been imported through formal channels,” said Spokesperson Dhakal.
