Shiva Hari Shrestha, general manager of NFC, said the corporation will sell around 3,400 goats from its outlets at Thapathali in Kathmandu and Nakkhu in Lalitpur. “Our price is around 15 percent cheaper than the average price in the market,” Shrestha said. [break]
NFC has fixed the price of goats with weight below 20 kg at Rs 370 per kg. Similarly, goats weighing 20-24 kg, 25-30 kg and above 30 kg are being sold at Rs 385 per kg, Rs 390 per kg and Rs 395 per kg, respectively.
Price of live goats at livestock market at Balkhu hovered around Rs 395 per kg on Wednesday.
NFC sources goats from different collection centers in places like Nepalgunj, Lahan, Birgunj, Dang and Surkhet. So far, 1,200 goats have been delivered to the capital city.
Shrestha said price of goats has increased by around 15 percent this year because of rise in transportation cost owing to recent hike in fuel prices.
During Dashain last year, goat price hovered over Rs 300 per kg.
“We are compelled to fix goat prices as per our procurement and transportation cost as the government doesn´t provide us any subsidy,” Shrestha said.
Last year, NFC had invested Rs 5.1 million to procure and transport goats to the capital city. This year it has invested Rs 13 million for the purpose.
Deepak Thapa, president of Nepal Livestock Traders Association, said the price of live goat might increase in the coming days as traders have been facing problem in transportation. “Today, Armed Police Force (APF) personnel deployed at Bhalubang pestered traders saying that public buses can´t carry goats. I don´t know why APF personnel were troubled when traffic police had no problem at all,” wondered Thapa.
He further added that officials of the Ministry of Agricultural Development have assured the association to look into the issue.
“However, price of live goats won´t go past Rs 450 per kg this year,” he maintained.
Mutton is currently available at around Rs 750 per kg, according to Thapa.
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