First modern meat shop with in-house slaughter facility opens

KATHMANDU, Aug 13: Sunkhani Integrated Agriculture Centre (SIAC) has opened a meat shop of international standards at Golfutar in Kathmandu, which is equipped with a slaughter house which fits the guidelines prepared by the government. Not just that, the centre plans to sell meat of only local goats produced by Nepali farmers.



Speaking at the inauguration of ´H & H Meat Shop´ on Sunday, lawmaker Gagan Thapa expressed the hope that the initiative will create ample market for local farmers. "At present, goats come to the meat shop through a number of middle men but we directly reach the goat producers to make sure farmers get the right price," he added.[break]



It is estimated that Nepal imports goats worth Rs 15 billion every year from India, which is nearly 80 percent of the total consumption of the country. The total meat production in the country last fiscal year was 277,000 ton.



Thapa said, "The single outlet by the company may not play a very reduce the import significantly but if this step is taken as an initiative and other meat shops follow the same practice, local goat producers will be encouraged and that will lead to mass production of goats."



The average consumption of meat by Nepalis is less than 4-5 kg a year -- the international average. Thapa said with an increase in the purchasing power of Nepali customers, the market for cattle producers will expand. "Instead of increasing our dependence, meat shops like ours will encourage local producers," he said.



With the slogan ´healthy meat from farm to kitchen´, the centre has claimed to provide healthy meat, keeping the real flavor intact. Consumers will not have to pay an additional price for this as the centre is selling mutton at Rs 550 per kg.



Meat Inspector of the centre Dr Pranav Joshi said consumption of such meat will reduce antibiotic residue in the consumers.







Before slaughtering the goat at the slaughter house, goats are kept in rest for 24 hours and stunned electrically. The vein of the goat is cut down, allowing it to bleed vertically, and is kept in the chilling room before selling it in the market.



The centre plans to establish 10 more outlets in the valley with the facility of slaughter house next year. Along with lawmaker Thapa, Shiva Guni, Radhakrishna Guni and Sabin Tamang are involved in the project, which has seen an initial investment of above Rs 2.5 million.

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