Goat Trade Surges in Dharan Ahead of Festive Season
Livestock transactions at Dharan's Agricultural Produce Market have climbed 15 percent as Dashain and Tihar approach, with weekly festive turnover expected to exceed 10,000 goats.
Goat trade at the Agricultural Produce Market in Dharan has surged significantly with the approach of major autumn festivals, as farmers and merchants from across Koshi Province converge on the regional trading hub. Business at the facility is already up 15 percent compared to preceding years, according to reporting by Onlinekhabar, Nagarik News, Ratopati, and Deshsanchar.
Located in Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City-13, the market operates as a vital clearinghouse for livestock sourced from eastern hill districts and southern Tarai communities. Although transactions for daily staples and livestock take place throughout the week, dedicated goat markets are held every Thursday and Friday, drawing substantial crowds of pastoralists and commercial suppliers.
According to Laxman Bhattarai, chairman of the Dharan Agricultural Produce Market Management Committee, regular transactions exceed 3,000 goats per week. However, during the festive rush surrounding Dashain and Tihar, turnover escalates dramatically, surpassing 10,000 head each week as consumer demand for meat peaks across urban centres.
Financial data released by the management committee illustrates the market's commercial scale. In the 2082/83 fiscal year, roughly 160,000 goats were sold through the market, generating nearly Rs 3 billion in trade. During last year's festive period alone, transactions reached Rs 460 million (46 crore). Bhattarai noted that turnover is expected to climb even higher this season, buoyed by the early double-digit growth.
For local traders, the festive influx provides crucial annual income. Dal Bahadur Kathay, a Dharan-14 resident who has worked in the livestock trade for 15 years, told reporters that he sustains his household by raising goats locally and procuring additional animals from hill districts including Dhankuta and Panchthar. Kathay credited the market's organised infrastructure for streamlining sales and easing logistics.
The facility also functions as a vital supply node for destinations across Nepal. Wholesale merchant Chandra Khadka, based in Kanepokhari, Morang, reported that he visits Dharan weekly to purchase between 100 and 150 goats at a time. Khadka, who has spent 23 years in the business, redistributes livestock purchased in Dharan to major consumption markets such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, Janakpur, Lahan, Itahari, and Inaruwa.
Bhattarai stressed that the Dharan market remains one of Koshi Province’s most orderly agricultural trading centres. Beyond providing smallholder farmers from remote hills direct access to competitive buyers, the hub continues to anchor regional commerce and generate employment for farming communities across Morang, Sunsari, and adjacent districts.