With Covid-19 cases increasing in the Kathmandu valley, the state-owned Food Management and Trading Company has decided to sell goats for Dashain festival through an online marketplace.

Netra Prasad Subedi, CEO of the company, said that they were coordinating with e-commerce platform e-Sewa to book goats from the company. Shoppers can book goats from e-Sewa and purchase it later by showing the slip, he said. “We are in discussion with e-Sewa and soon the agreement will be finalised.”

The goats will start arriving at their Thapathali outlet before Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain, which falls on October 17 this year. The company plans to bring around 3,000 goats and mountain goats this year.

“The price of live he-goat and mountain goat will be cheaper by Rs10 per kg compared to the market rate,” he said. The company will fix the price as soon the goats start arriving in Kathmandu, he added. The company will also provide online delivery service for other goods until November 22.

Meanwhile, the government is set to open fair price shops from October 1 across the country, offering daily essentials at a subsidised rate for festival shoppers.

There will be 33 shops. Out of them, 10 outlets will be operated by the Food Management and Trading Company and the Salt Trading Company in the Kathmandu valley.

The Dairy Development Corporation will also be selling its products through the company and corporation outlets.

Subedi said that if any private sector company wants to sell their goods, they are allowed to sell them through the fair price shops.

“We are waiting for approval to fix the rate of subsidised goods for this Dashain from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply,” said Subedi. “Depending on food items, including meat items, this year, prices will be cheaper by 5 to 10 percent compared to the existing market rate on all goods offered by the company.”

The government provides grants to provide food items in fair price shops.

Unlike past years, the company, however, will have outlets in limited numbers this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. “As we have online delivery services, we will not be opening extra outlets,” said Shri Maniraj Khanal, deputy general manager of Food Management and Trading Company.

Last year, the customers preferred visiting different privately owned supermarkets over fair shops after getting good discounts on food items compared to the prices offered by the government and found it convenient too.

Khanal said that supermarkets have thousands of items and provide discounts on some certain goods as a part of marketing policy. “Our objective is to create market interference so that consumers can buy at a reasonable price,” said Khanal.

The company used to receive 50-60 orders online daily during the lockdown but with restrictions being eased, the numbers have declined, he said. He expects the number of orders to increase during the festival once the company announces their discount offer.

The company has been conducting its home delivery service by outsourcing deliveries providers like Sastodeal.

According to Khanal, the company has around 22,000-23,000 tonnes of food items in stock and there is no problem for supply during festival time.

The fair price shop will be offering rice, legumes and lentils, edible oil, flour, ghee and other dairy products, among others. The government opens fair price shops every year before the start of the festival season.