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The price of gold has reached an all-time high in the domestic market on Wednesday, setting a new historical record.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Traders, the price of gold has increased by Rs 800 per tola to reach Rs 176, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 175, 200 per tola on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the price of silver has seen a slight decline. The price of silver has dropped by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 2,045 per tola.

The commercial charter flight has been operated from Pokhara International Airport to Chengdu in Sichuan Province of China for the first time.

Two years after the inauguration of the airport, the first commercial charter flight took place from Pokhara to Chengdu on Tuesday.

The first-ever Pokhara-Chengdu commercial flight was operated under the leadership of Pokhara Tourism Council in collaboration with Pokhara Metropolitan City, Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Sichuan Airlines and Chinese Association in Nepal.

It may be noted that it was materialized after continuous efforts from different fronts, including the private sector for international flights from the Pokhara International Airport.

Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, Pokhara Tourism Council Chair Taranath Pahari, Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki Province Chief Maniraj Lamichhane, Pokhara Visit Year-2025 Performance Committee Coordinator Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai and a 126-member team of tourism entrepreneurs and media persons have come to Chengdu to promote tourism.

Nepali Consul General to China Suresh Raut, high-ranking officials of Sichuan Province and representatives of Sichuan Airlines, among others, welcomed the Pokharel team at Chengdu Airport.

On the occasion, Mayor Acharya said that the first commercial charter flight has been made with the continuous efforts of the Metropolitan City, Pokhara Tourism Council at a time when international flights could not be operated from Pokhara International Airport. The Chinese Embassy also held discussions on 'B2B' between tourism entrepreneurs of the two countries regarding tourism development of Pokhara.

The Pokhara International Airport was inaugurated on January 1, 2023. 

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 7. 66 points to close at 2, 697. 04 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 06 points to close at 452. 89 points.

 A total of 8,237,902-unit shares of 313 companies were traded for Rs 4. 34 billion.

Meanwhile, Mithila LaghuBitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (MLBBL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 96 percent. Likewise, Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SLBSL) was the top loser with its price dropped by 8. 21 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 47 trillion.

Two hundred and thirty-six hatcheries have closed down in the country after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Nepal Poultry Federation.

The industries have been closed after the hatched chicks did not fetch even the production price after the pandemic.

According to Tikaram Pokhrel, vice-president of the Federation, there were 348 hatchery industries operating across the country before Covid-19. Now the number has come down to 120. Similarly, layer hatcheries have been reduced from 14 to six.

Pokhrel said 5.5 million broiler chicks used to be produced in a week by the hatcheries before and it has decreased to 3 million. Likewise, the production of layer chicks has decreased from 250, 000 per week to 130, 000.

According to Pokharel, the production cost of broiler chicks ranges from Rs 55 to Rs 60 per chick while that of layer chick ranges from Rs 120 to 125.

Rajendra Lamichhane, central senior vice-president of Nepal Hatchery Industry Association, said the hatcheries have been closed as they even did not get the production cost for the chicks for two years after Covid-19.

After a long time, the price of broiler chicks has now reached Rs 70 to Rs 75 per chick while the price of layer chicks is in the range of Rs 130 to Rs 150.

"Most of the hatcheries were shut down as the chicks did not fetch even the production cost for a long time and even those industries which were running have also done so with additional loans from banks," he said.

Hatchery industries and poultry farmers have been displaced from their business due to the hatched chicks not fetching the production cost, increase in prices of poultry feed and medicines, higher bank interest rates, low price of meat, displacement of poultry farmers and illegal entry of chicks from the Indian market.