“Our market has seen a decline in the supply of goats as India, which is the sole exporter of goats for Nepal, has itself been facing a deline in the supply this rainy season,” said Giriraj Basnet, general secretary of Nepal Four-footed Animal Traders Association. [break]
on an average, Indian goats fulfill more than 90 percent of total demand in Nepali market.
Basnet said arrival of goats in the capital from India has dropped to around 5,000 heads per week from around 6,500 heads that used to come a couple of weeks back. Despite lower supplies of goats, price has gone up this month which is regarded as a low-demand month for meat items.
Live goats are selling for Rs 260 to Rs 265 per kg which is higher than Rs 240 per kg a couple of week. Mutton is also selling for Rs 500 per kg from Rs 470 per kg in the market.
Traders said they are entirely dependent on Indian supplies as domestic production of goats is almost nil this rainy season. Domestic goats are sourced from Kavre, Dhading, Dang, Salyan, Banke, Udaypur, Nuwakot, Dolakha and are distributed from goat wholesale markets at Bhrikutimandap, Kalanki and Bijulibazar.
Traders said supply of goats in the market wouldn´t improve until mid-September when rainy season ends. Despite continued increase in the production of goats in the country, dependence on goat supplies on the southern neighbor hasn´t decreased.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, production of goats in the country rose up to 8.76 million during 2009/10.
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