Dashain meat demand up 7 times

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts need 50,000 to 60,000 goats in Dashain and livestock traders are busy importing goats for weeks now.

KATHMANDU: Kathmanduites eat 1.2 million kg of mutton during Dashain between Saptami and Vijaya Dashami, a matter of four days. Mutton consumption per person per day during Dashain jumps seven times from average 28 gram to 212 gram.

Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts need 50,000 to 60,000 goats in Dashain and livestock traders are busy importing goats for weeks now.

At least 50,000 goats will enter Kathmandu Dashain, said Giri Raj Basnet, secretary of Tukucha Goat Market. About 1,000 goats are killed to meet daily demand for mutton in Kathmandu. Mutton covers 34 per cent of total meat demand of the capital and remaining is fulfilled with buffalo, chicken and pork meat.

“More than 150 traders are importing goats,” he said. Traders are importing 40,000 to 45,000 goats from India and remaining from the Terai districts, he said. Currently, traders are busy in goat collection in Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj, Dang, Lahan and other areas and sell them at Kalanki, Bagbazar, Bhrikutimandap, Bijulibazar and Lagankhel in Kathmandu. Apart from private sector import, Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) is also selling goats in Kathmandu. NFC is selling 4,000 goats to control price manipulation, said Binaya Dhoj Thapa, Deputy General Manager at NFC.

But the price hike has already started as people are in a festive mood. Mutton price in Kathmandu has touched Rs 550 per kg from regular Rs 500 per kg. Similar hike of Rs 50 per kg was also noticed on the eve of Dashain last year as butchers use Dashain to raise meat price for the whole year. Mutton price is normally hiked during Dashain and the new price remains effective for till next Dashain.

According to United State’s Nutrition Department, South Asia is at the bottom of global meat consumption chart. “South Asian, South East Asian and African countries are at the bottom of global meat, fish and egg consumption,” said a report published by the department last year.

Among South Asian countries, Nepal ranked third in meat consumption at 10.3 kg per person per year, followed by Maldives at 8.5 kg, Sri Lanka at 4.8 kg, India at 4.6 kg and Bangladesh at 3.2 kg.

Afghan and Pakistani ranked first and second with meat consumption standing at 18.9 kg and 12.4 kg per person per year, respectively. Similarly, Nepalis eat 2 kg fish and 18 eggs in a year.

Latin American country Uruguay tops the global rank with an annual consumption of 126.5 kg meat per person and United States stands second with 124 kg meat consumed per person per year while global average is 37.9 kg.

How it affects your health

KATHMANDU: Nutritionists have some recommendations for eating meat, fish and eggs. As per, United State’s Nutrition Department, 36.5 kg meat per person per year is sufficient for a healthy dietary intake for a person but the consumption must be regular and balanced.

Daily consumption of 100-150 gram red meat and 250 gram white meat is the best for health, it said. The report has warned that excessive consumption of meat can lead to health hazards, putting pressure on digestive organs in burning carbohydrate.