KATHMANDU: As Dashain approaches, traders from the Himalayan regions are busy transporting mountain goats to major markets across the hills and Terai.
More than 10 days before the festival, mountain goats are being moved from the highlands of Mustang and Dolpa to districts including Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Pokhara, Chitwan, and Butwal.
These goats, raised by farmers in Mustang and other high-altitude regions, are in high demand for Dashain. Traders purchase them directly from herders and bring them to urban markets, where large herds are often seen along highways. Many customers are already buying them on the roadside.
Mountain goats raised in the Himalayan region are especially valued for their distinct taste and medicinal qualities, believed to come from grazing on herb-rich alpine pastures. According to traders, the price of these goats increases significantly once transported from remote districts to the lowlands.
Namdev Gurung, a mountain goat farmer from Mustang, said that the animals are being transported by truck to Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, and Butwal. Gurung, who walked for three days to reach Baglung, said he plans to continue on to Pokhara and return. Out of the 300 goats he brought, he had already sold 70 upon reaching Maldhunga in Baglung.
Traders from Kathmandu and Pokhara often travel to Himalayan pastures during August–September to purchase goats in advance, sometimes paying a deposit. “Buying them in the highlands is cheaper,” Gurung said, “but transportation is costly—whether we hire trucks or walk with them for days.”
“Mountain goats are extremely popular in city markets during Dashain. If farmers can raise them in large numbers, they can earn a good income. But the process is exhausting and expensive,” he added.
Due to their diet of wild alpine herbs, the goats are considered healthier and more flavorful than others. Five-year-old goats are seen as ideal for meat, said Thamsingh Budha, a farmer from Dolpa.
Budha said he reached Baglung after a 17-day journey on foot. He has supported his nine-member family through the goat trade and has been doing so for years. “Raising goats in snowy Himalayan areas is tough, especially because of threats from snow leopards and wolves,” he said.
This is his eighth year bringing goats to the market during Dashain. “I used to sell them for Rs 12,000 each. Now, the price has reached Rs 50,000. It goes even higher when they reach cities like Chitwan and Butwal,” he noted.
“The farther you take them, the more expensive they get,” he explained. “Transporting them by truck costs a lot, and walking them is physically demanding. Last year, we reached Butwal. This year, we plan to return from Pokhara. Prices rise every year—largely because middlemen drive up the costs. If herders could sell directly, the prices would be lower.”
Mountain goats are transported from Mustang, Dolpa, Mugu, and Jumla to major cities using routes like the Beni–Jomsom–Korala road. Some are also imported from Tibet.
Mohan Lama, a long-time goat trader, said the seasonal market helps farmers and traders cover Dashain expenses. Lama has been supplying Himalayan mountain goats to Chitwan, Pokhara, and Kathmandu for 15 years.
Alongside these traders, farmers from Baglung are also active in goat farming. Many from Tamankhola, Dhorpatan, and Nisikhola regions raise goats, bringing them to Butwal via Burtibang, Kharbang, Gulmi, and Palpa.
Mountain goat meat is especially popular during Dashain, when demand peaks across Nepal. The seasonal trade not only meets cultural needs but also provides crucial income for rural Himalayan communities—despite the long journeys and tough terrain involved in getting the animals to market.
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