According to the Livestock Buying and Selling Association, around 40,000 animals worth Rs 970 million were sold in the market during the week of Dashain. Last year, transactions totalled Rs 1.16 billion, but business declined this year due to lower market demand.
Association President Jiban Raj Khadka said sales of goats and sheep had fallen by 15,000 compared with last year. While 55,000 animals were sold during last year’s Dashain, the figure was limited to 40,000 this year.
According to the association, 17,000 goats and sheep were sold at Kalanki livestock market this year, compared with 24,000 last year. Another 23,000 goats, sheep and Himalayan blue sheep were sold in other markets.
Every year, large numbers of goats and sheep are brought to the Kathmandu Valley from various districts for Dashain, when meat consumption traditionally increases significantly.
Khadka said the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River on August 26 had brought grief to many families, while rising prices had also reduced meat consumption. He added that fewer animals had been brought to the market and prices had increased by as much as Rs 200 per kilogram, weakening demand.
According to traders, rising prices meant that many consumers who would normally buy an entire goat for the festival instead purchased only two to four kilograms of meat.
The association reported that live goats and sheep were sold for between Rs 870 and Rs 920 per kilogram this year, compared with Rs 720 to Rs 750 per kilogram last year.
The price of Himalayan blue sheep, locally known as chyangra, ranged from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,400 per kilogram last year, while this year they were sold at around Rs 1,250 per kilogram.
Traders said overall business declined because fewer goats and sheep entered the market than in previous years.
In previous years, the Food Management and Trading Company Limited sold goats and sheep during Dashain to help control market prices. However, the company did not sell livestock this year, contributing to higher prices.
The company had previously offered a discount of Rs 10 per kilogram to help regulate market prices. In its absence this year, traders were able to charge higher prices, leaving consumers paying more for meat.
The price of prepared goat and sheep meat reached Rs 1,700 to Rs 1,750 per kilogram this year, up from Rs 1,500 per kilogram last year.
Domestic livestock products were available in the market during this year’s Dashain. Himalayan blue sheep were brought from Mustang, while goats and sheep were imported from various other districts.
To prevent diseased or unhealthy animals from entering the market, the Department of Livestock Services conducted health inspections at 10 locations across the Kathmandu Valley before allowing the animals to be sold.
