Farmers involved in rearing goats, chicken, pig and buffalo have reasons to be elated as meat consumption in the district has risen in the recent days. 

According to Meat Entrepreneurs’ Association, consumption of meat in Sandhikharka, the district headquarters, and Chutrabesi stands at 432,200kg worth Rs565.84 million in a year. About 30,000 

population of Sandhikharka spend that much amount for meat, said Ramu KC, secretary of the association. 

According to him, around 432,300kg of chicken; 72,000kg of goat meat; 36,000kg of fish; 90,000kg of buff and 10,000kg of pig meat was sold in a year in the district headquarters alone.

The chicken is sold at Rs320 per kg; mutton at Rs550 and buff at Rs190. Likewise, fish is sold at Rs320 per kg and pig meat at Rs280. During the winter, fish is brought from other districts, but chicken, he-buffaloes and pigs come from the farms in the district. Many youths have been involved in poultry business and are making good earning. Those involved in livestock are also earning well. Muna Tandan, proprietor of Tandan Fresh House at Chutrabesi, who has been selling chicken for the last 10 years, said she sells 100kg of chicken a day. She has employed six persons in her meat shop.  

Laxman Mahat, a returnee from foreign employment in Qatar, said he earned Rs500,000 from the poultry business in a year. “Arghakhanchi is largely self-reliant on meat,” said Ram Narayan Mandal, a senior animal development officer. “The trend of animal rearing has been picking up among the local people after the government started providing subsidy on improved breed of goats and other animals meant for meat.”