Dashain celebrators have something extra to celebrate this year. They will get to chomp on their favourite kebab at last year's prices thanks to a price freeze on goats.

State-owned Food Management and Trading Company has fixed the price of live goats at Rs680 per kg for this Dashain, the same as last year.

“The price was the same during last year’s Dashain,” said Sharmila Neupane Subedi, information officer for the government company tasked with supplying goats.

It has raised the price of live mountain goats only slightly, fixing it at Rs1,280 per kg compared to Rs1,260 last year.

Formerly known as Nepal Food Corporation, the firm started selling the animals from its provincial office in Thapathali on Tuesday.

Ghatasthapana, the first day of the festival, fell on October 15 this year as per the lunar calendar. The actual celebration begins on October 21.

There are no official statistics on the number of animals that are sacrificed during the 15-day extravaganza, but it is believed that tens of thousands of buffaloes, goats, pigeons and ducks are killed to appease Goddess Durga and provide meat for the extended feasting.

Traders say that more than 50,000 goats are expected to be sold in Kathmandu this festival season.

Food Management and Trading Company accounts for only a small number of goats sold during the festival, and its purpose is more to intervene in the market and stabilise prices than deal in large quantities.

“A live goats costs Rs710 per kg in the open market,” said Subedi.

As of Tuesday, 600 goats and 350 mountain goats had arrived at its Thapathali outlet. The government company has targeted to sell 2,000 goats and 1,000 mountain goats this season, according to Subedi.

It sold 1,615 goats and mountain goats last year.

The average per capita meat consumption in Nepal has reached 18 kg per year, up from 6 kg per year in the 1970s. Per capita meat consumption was 9.8 kg per year in 2008 and 9.7 kg in 2000. It increased to 11.15 kg per year in 2014.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger, has set the per capita per year meat requirement at 14 kg.

According to private traders, the price of live goats ranges from Rs625 to Rs700 per kg depending on the quality.

"Live mountain goats from Mustang cost Rs1,325 per kg, and live Lekali goats cost Rs700 to Rs800 per kg," said Janak Kumar Khadka, president of Kalanki Khasi Bazaar, Kalanki.

“Prices may fluctuate based on demand and supply,” he said.

Traders said that around 2,000 goats were arriving daily at Kalanki Khasi Bazaar. “The number will increase gradually,” said Khadka.

Traders are expected to supply around 40,000 goats, while individuals may supply around 10,000 goats in Kathmandu for this Dashain. Before the Covid pandemic wrecked the economy, Dashain celebrators used to buy 80,000 goats.

Khadka says the price of live goats has remained stable this year.

As per livestock traders, festival sales in Kathmandu Valley may reach around 50,000 animals, the same as last year. “We expect goat demand to remain the same as during the last Dashain."

Gobinda Prasad Subedi, central president of the Nepal Commercial Goat Producers Federation, said a slowdown in the economy and high inflation had eroded people's purchasing power.

Goat sales are expected to accelerate from Phulpati, the seventh day of the lunar fortnight, which falls on Saturday. Government holidays also start from that date.

Animal sacrifices and feasting are the highlights of the festival.

Traders say domestic production will be sufficient to meet the requirement this year, and there will be no need to import goats.

Nearly a dozen points had been identified in Kathmandu Valley to sell goats including Kalanki Khasi Bazaar, Koteshwor, Chabahil and Balaju Bypass.

Private traders bring goats from Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, Khotang, Hetauda, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Kabhre and Makwanpur.

According to the Department of Livestock Service, goat production has increased in Morang, Bara, Tulsipur, Sunsari, Sarlahi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Banke, Dang and Bardiya in the Tarai.

There are 10.82 million goats across the country, and 5 million goats are sold in the market annually. Around 500,000 goats are consumed in Kathmandu Valley annually, the department said.

In order to protect public health, department officials inspect the goat market and give a green mark to healthy animals and a red mark to unhealthy animals.