Kathmandu, Oct. 5 -- The price of mutton has refused to come down after reaching an all-time high of Rs1,700 per kg in July, and traders expect it to rise further as Nepal heads into Dashain, the country's biggest meat-eating festival.

Mutton was selling for Rs1,300-1,400 per kg during last year's festive season. It now costs Rs1,600-1,700 per kg. Goat traders say the price is among the highest in the world, making mutton in Nepal particularly expensive compared with many other countries.

Goat traders attribute the increase to a decline in supply, higher transportation and feed costs, and the difficulty of sourcing animals from rural areas after floods and landslides.

Consumer rights activists, however, say the sharp increase cannot be...