JUMLA: Sheep and goats worth Rs 100 million were traded during this festive season alone in Jumla district. The total amount of sale of the animals this year was lower by Rs 60 million compared to the last year’s festive season, officials said.

The Chief of Livestock Development Section of Chandannath Municipality in Jumla, Bir Bahadur Rawat, said the major market areas in the district including the district headquarters Khalanga bazaar sold goats and sheep equal to Rs 100 million during the Dashain festival. In addition, buffaloes were also sold for meat in the district.

The sale of goats, sheep, buffaloes, and fowls is generally high during the Dashain festival period as people sacrifice these animals at goddess shrines, and meat consumption also increases due to the festivities.

The Livestock Development Section of Chandannath Municipality stated that he-goats, sheep, and buffaloes worth Rs 163.2 million were traded during the festive season last year.

As per the data shared by the officials, a total of 5,843 sheep were traded in the district during the festival.

Rawat shared that the maximum price for each sheep was fixed at Rs 23,000, and the minimum price was Rs 9,000 in the district.

Likewise, the maximum price for each he-goat was Rs 22,000, and the lowest rate was fixed at Rs 8,000.

The district received he-goats, sheep, and buffaloes from neighbouring districts of Mugu, Kalikot, Dailekh, Bajura, and others.

The local traders shared that the price for sheep and goats was reduced by almost 30 per cent this year compared to the last year.

The traders here sell sheep and goats from Jumla and the nearby districts, as imports of Tibetan Himalayan goats is no more a practice since 2068 BS.

The Livestock Service Office, Jumla stated that the farmers in the district have reared some 88,000 sheep.