Cattle sale ban: Beef supply dwindles

KOLKATA: The Centre's notification banning the sale of cattle for the purpose of slaughter has started telling on the plates with supply of beef in the city dwindling though Madras high court’s order on Tuesday staying Centre’s cattle order has provided a temporary relief to the bovine meat industry.

The old abattoir in Tangra which caters to the city’s demand has been functioning at “65 to 70 percent” of its capacity since the announcement of Centre’s new livestock regulation last week. The scarcity in supply has started to have ripple effects in the markets across the city where the quantity of supply has reduced and the prices have spiked up.

The abattoir dedicated to buffaloes for the purpose of export of their meat shut down completely early this month due to reduced supply of the cattle along with several litigations.

The new notification under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, drafted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests bans the sale at cattle markets of bulls, cows, bullocks, buffaloes, steers, heifers, calves and camels for slaughter. It also stipulates that cattle can be sold only to farmers.
Around 180 to 200 animals are slaughtered at the abattoir every day which has close to 450 licensees. But since the ban last week, the number has fallen to 120-140. This fall in supply has created a small crisis in the market. “The ban has hit the meat industry very hard just in less than a week of its issuance. Most sellers did not turn up at the weekly cattle markets last Sunday. Even the traders were scared to purchase the animals,” said Mohammad Ali, president of Calcutta Beef Dealers' Association.

The supply of beef in several markets across the city has dropped.

“In the past few days many customers have returned empty-handed because the quantity we are receiving is less than the demand,” said Mohammad Abu Bakar who sells beef in New Market.

Demand for beef spikes during Ramzan (the month of fasting) for delicacies like halim. “Halim is mostly prepared of bovine meat which increases the demand during this time. This is going to create additional pressure,” said Mohammad Ikhlaq, secretary of the West Bengal Cattle Traders’ Association.

The Madras high court has stayed the Centre’s cattle order for the next four weeks. “This has brought some relief for the time being. We expect more business at the weekly cattle markets next Sunday.