Nepal Food Corporation, Nepalgunj has initiated the process to import 32,000 goats from India for the Dashain festival.
Around 50,000 goats and sheep are consumed in Nepalgunj during Dashain and Tihar, according to Nepal Food Corporation.
Similarly, 18,000 goats and sheep will be brought from various districts of Nepal as well as from Tibet.
Though the government has unveiled a plan to become self-sufficient in meat production, people are still consuming imported meat products.
“Nepal Food Corporation is importing goats worth Rs 500 million from India. Local productions meet only 10-15 percent demand for goats,” Shri Mohan Prakash Chand, chief executive officer, Nepal Food Corporation, Nepalgunj.
Traders are importing mountain goats and sheep from Tibet via Kerung and Korala entry points as well. Similarly, they are also bringing a large number of duck and water buffaloes for the festive season.
According to Chief Mohan, traders bring goats from districts like Udayapur, Sindhuli, Khotang, Siraha, Salyan, Dang, Kailali and Jajarkot.
The association estimates that traders and Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) Nepalgunj will sell around 50,000 goats in the Nepalgunj Valley alone. NFC is bringing 1,500 sheep and mountain goats from Mustang.
Sarmila Subedi , the spokesperson of the NFC, said that they were bringing goats and sheep from various districts to provide hygienic meat products at cheaper rates.
Nepal produces around 334,000 tons of meat annually, according to the Nepal Food Corporation. Though consumption is increasing with every passing year, production is more or less stagnant.
According to NFC , the demand for meat continues to increase as income levels keep on growing in developing countries, where per capita consumption is projected to rise further and per capita growth rates to be equivalent to those in developed countries when compared to the base period.
Meanwhile, animal quarantine offices under the Nepal Food Corporation have started surveillance at the border points to make sure that only healthy animals are imported into the country.
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