Meat prices are rising in Kathmandu Valley ahead of Dashain. Traders say floods, landslides and blocked roads are delaying livestock deliveries. They worry that the supply will not meet festival demand.
The prices
At the Kalanki livestock market, live goats are selling for Rs 850-860 per kilogram, according to the Livestock Buying and Selling Association in Kalanki. Last year's Dashan price was about Rs 750, so this is a rise of about 13 to 15 percent. Goat meat that sold for Rs 1,300-1,400 per kilogram last year now sells for about Rs 1,600-1,700, which is Rs 300 higher at both ends of the range.
Traders warn that prices could rise more if shipments keep falling behind. However, iit depends on how quicklu roads reopen and the quantity of animals that reach the Valley.
Floods and landslides after heavy rain have damaged or blocked roads used to bring livestock to Kathmandu.
Traders buy goats from around 35 to 40 districts, including Makwanpur, Dhading, Rolpa, Rukum, Jajarkot, Salyan, Pyuthan, Sindhuli, Nuwakot and Tehrathum.
Jeevan Raj Khatiwada, chairperson of the Kalanki association, said trips from Hetauda to Kathmandu are taking 10 to 12 hours because of bad roads and traffic.
The recent flash flood on the Budhi Gandaki river in Gorkha has added to transport problems.
Traders estimate that goat consumption in the Valley could fall to 38,000–40,000 this year, down from 45,000–50,000 last year.
The Kalanki market expects about 24,000 to 25,000 goats this Dashain.
Supplies of chyangra, or Himalayan sheep, are also uncertain. They usually come through northern border routes such as Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi. Those routes are damaged or closed, and the alternative Korala crossing in Mustang has its own problems.
Babu Kaji Shahi, general secretary of the National Meat Traders Association, said livestock that should already have arrived was held up by blockages. He warned that supplies from areas near the Valley will not be enough.
The state-owned Food Management and Trading Company has decided not to sell goats or chyangra this Dashain. It cited past losses and the risk that animals lose weight or die in transit. In earlier years, it helped moderate prices. Private traders will now have to meet more of the demand. This does not by itself show how much prices will rise.
Is transport the whole story?
Transport trouble is not the only explanation. Consumer-rights advocates have questioned whether higher transport and feed costs alone explain the price rise. They point to middlemen in the supply chain and weak market monitoring. A higher price does not by itself prove that floods are the cause.
For households, the extra cost comes during a festival when families already spend more on food and travel. Consumers may face uncertainty over both supply and price while demand peaks, until road access improves and more livestock arrives.
