With the high price of goats, farmers in Nghe An province are making a good profit.

Taking advantage of the hilly terrain, easily reclaimed wasteland, and readily available local feed sources, many households in Quynh Vinh commune (Hoang Mai town) have strongly developed the business of raising goats for meat and breeding. Mr. Ho Ba Chinh – a large-scale goat farmer in Quynh Vinh commune – has leased more than 7 hectares of hilly land to grow corn, cassava, and elephant grass, and simultaneously built 9 enclosed barns to raise nearly 150 goats for meat, breeding, and breeding.

Mr. Chinh shared that the selected goat breeds are high-quality breeds such as Bach Thao, Boer, and hybrid grass goats, which are raised semi-free-range and fed entirely on self-grown feed such as corn leaves, corn cobs, cassava tubers, and elephant grass.

"Thanks to self-sufficiency in feed, the cost is low, the meat quality is good, and we are not dependent on the input market. I sell two batches a year, and after deducting expenses, I make a profit of about 200 million VND. This year, prices have increased sharply, so customers have been placing orders continuously," he said.

Currently, goat meat farming is thriving in western localities such as Nghia Dan, Thai Hoa town, Tan Ky, and Thanh Chuong. In Tay Hieu commune (Thai Hoa town), Mr. Nguyen Trong Hung is raising over 100 goats for meat, combined with growing grass and using the method of ensiling feed from agricultural by-products.

“Goats fed silage suffer less from digestive diseases, absorb nutrients better, gain weight faster, and costs are reduced by 30% compared to feeding them fresh feed. At current prices, goat farmers earn an average profit of about 2-3 million VND per goat after a breeding cycle of over 4 months,” Mr. Hung shared his experience.

Raising goats on a large scale, up to 600 animals, the rising price of goat meat at this time has brought considerable profits to the family of Ms. Tran Thi Hien (Nghia Thai commune, Nam Dan district).

"Compared to two years ago, the price of goat meat has almost doubled. From 80,000-90,000 VND/kg to 130,000-150,000 VND/kg, and even up to 170,000 VND/kg for free-range goats. The price increase is partly due to the previously low cost of goat meat, which led people to reduce their herds, thus limiting supply. In addition, demand for goat meat increases sharply during the hot season," Ms. Hien said.

The price of live goat meat in Nghe An has been rising sharply since the beginning of 2025, fluctuating around 150,000 VND/kg – an increase of about 50,000 to 70,000 VND compared to the same period last year.

In the market, the demand for goat meat has surged not only in restaurants but also in households. This demand is driven by seasonal factors: hot weather reduces the purchase of traditional meats like pork and beef, while goat meat is cool, low in fat, and suits the trend of healthy eating, especially during holidays, festivals, and the beach tourism season.

In addition, the establishment of collective certification marks for various breeding areas such as "Nam Dan Goat," "Tan Ky Goat," "Quy Chau Mountain Goat," "Nghe An Goat," etc., aims to standardize product quality, build credibility with consumers, and open up development opportunities according to OCOP standards and regional specialty products.

Some localities are also experimenting with farm-based tourism models, opening their farms to students and tourists to visit the barns and care processes, increasing the added value of the products. At the same time, they encourage models that utilize by-products such as banana stalks, beer residue, corn stalks, and rice bran for silage to make feed, reducing investment costs, limiting environmental pollution, and improving the quality of livestock. Furthermore, they are strengthening technical training for household groups and cooperatives to standardize biosafety farming models and enhance the value of commercial goat meat.

However, despite positive signals from prices and consumption, experts advise people against drastically increasing their herds during this period of high market prices. In fact, previous cycles have shown that goat prices have plummeted when farmers rushed to expand their herds without securing markets, especially for small-scale, fragmented farms without guaranteed purchase contracts.

To maintain long-term growth and development, relevant authorities need to guide goat farmers towards sustainable commodity production: regional planning, herd control, breed standardization, and the establishment of clear brands. Only when the market operates on a scientific basis and is interconnected will goat farming truly become an economic pillar for tens of thousands of households in the semi-mountainous region.