Nepal
The Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) is bringing around 1,000 mountain goats, locally known as Chyangra, to Kathmandu from Mustang and Darchula for this Dashain.
The company is procuring around 500 mountain goats from Darchula. It is the first time that the state-owned company has sourced mountain goats from the far-western district for the festival. The festival commences on Monday.
According to Sharmila Neupane Subedi, the spokesperson for the FMTC, the company has planned to bring 3,000 goats, meat bucks, and mountain goats for the Dashain festival.
"Of them, 2,000 goats and meat bucks will be brought from Hetauda, Tulsipur, and Dhading and 1,000 mountain goats will be brought to Kathmandu from Mustang and Darchula," she said.
"As Dashain is at the doorstep, the buying process has already been initiated. Chyanga is on its way from Darchula as well. We have adopted new modality of bring goats from Dhading and mountain goats from Darchula this time."
The FMTC had been procuring mountain goats from Mustang until last year. But, according to the company, it is cheaper to transport the goats from the far-western district than from Mustang.
"Earlier, we used to buy directly from individual farmers. But this time, we will buy it from farmer's group in those districts. As they are taking all the risks this time, we wanted to try buying mountain goats from Darchula as well," Subedi said, adding, "We have focused more on Kathmandu because of the higher demand."
“The company is purchasing live Chyangra at Rs 1,150 per kg. This effort will help stabilise the price of Chyangra in the market,” company Executive Director Mohan Prakash Chand said.
However, the FMTC has yet to decide on the selling price. "Once the animals arrive, we will accumulate cost from all the regions and then set the price. It will be decided a day before we start selling them."
Meanwhile, the company is sending around 400 quintals of rice to Chhangru and Tinkar of Byas Rural Municipality in Darchula district at the call of people’s representatives at the local level there.
Besides, lentils, flour, salt and sugar will be ferried via helicopter to those places, the company said.
With RSS inputs
