CHITRAL: Yak meat has flooded the Chitral bazaars as the herdsmen of Broghil valley sell their animals to butchers to purchase the daily use items before heavy snowfall cuts off the valley from rest of the district for four winter months.

Sher Afgan, a butcher, said every year at the outset of winter season, yaks were brought here in large numbers from Broghil and upper Yarkhoon valleys. He said buying of the animal continued for about a month.

He said people of Chitral awaited the whole year the arrival of yak meat in the bazaars as it was only available in winter months. He added yaks were only raised in Broghil area and the herdsmen brought their animals to the market only days before the harsh winter started.

He said sale of meat increased in winter due to its superb palate and taste characterised by the pastures of the valley where yaks were left to graze freely throughout the year and the intake of a variety of herbs.

“I slaughter more than five animals a day these days due to high demand of the meat,” he said, adding butchers remained busy from dawn to dusk these days.

“People usually purchase more than 20 kilogrammes of yak meat as they send it as gift to their relatives and friends in Peshawar. This is another reason for high demand of meat,” the butcher said.

The price of yak meat has registered a steep rise this year as it is sold at Rs950 a kilogramme as against the Rs600 a kilogramme last season.

The butchers said the meat price increased as herdsmen had raised the rates of their animals by more than 50 per cent.

A trader, Bashir Hussain, who was purchasing yak meat, said he relished the rich taste of the meat, which needed no salt to be added while cooking.

He said like many people, he purchased sufficient quantity of the meat and consumed it during the winter season, also serving his friends and relatives.

Mr Hussain said though the yak meat fell in the category of beef, it had been declared to be cholesterol-free by dieticians. He said it was totally safe for patients of high blood pressure and sugar.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2024