Beef supply resumes, but falls short of Goa demand

PANAJI: After four days of going almost beef-less, normalcy returned to the main markets of Panaji, Mapusa and Margao. However, the supply of meat was still insufficient to meet the state's demand.
Most of the beef, which was transported into Goa on January 10, was sold in the morning itself and by early evening the meat traders had their shops shut for the day.
Manna Bepari, president of Quraishi's Meat Traders Association of Goa, said, "A total of 11 tons of beef was supplied to the markets in the state today (January 10). Of that, 5 tons were supplied to the markets in Panaji and Mapusa and another 6 tons were made available to cold-storage in Margao."
Goa's per day beef requirement stands at around 25 tons. Therefore, 11 tons of beef supplied was inadequate to meet the overall demand. Bepari added, "The suppliers in Karnataka are still scared because beef transportation ran into several issues in the last few days. But, the situation will become normal very soon. We expect that beef supply on January 11 and in the days to come will be a lot better."
Sources informed that police officials at the check-posts of Keri and Anmod ensured that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in animal rights didn't interfere with beef transportation.
Earlier, meat traders had alleged that animal right activists were harassing them by putting phenol on beef, when it is being transported. Due to this, beef was rendered useless and couldn't be consumed.
After the supply of beef was resumed on January 10, it's price stood at Rs 200-250 per kg in the markets. Bepari further informed, "Six members from our association also met Minister of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Mauvin Godinho, and apprised him of the issues we are facing at Goa Meat Complex. Once those issues are resolved, we will be able to bring live cattle from Karnataka to be slaughtered at Goa Meat Complex."
Meat traders have informed Godinho that the stunning box at Goa Meat Complex is too small for large animals. They also brought to Godinho's knowledge that no proper chilling facilities for storing the meat of slaughtered animals exist at Goa Meat Complex.
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No bar on legal
import: Parrikar
PANAJI: On a day the supply of beef resumed to Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that there could be no bar on anyone importing beef from Karnataka provided all documents are in place.
"You have to ask those so-called animal welfare (activists)... I have told [the] police that they have to go by [the] law. The legal provisions say that if there are documents, there is proper billing you cannot stop anyone from importing. The issue is over," Parrikar said adding that he had briefed the Inspector General of Police over the issue.
"If everything is proper, no one should be permitted to interfere. the issue is over. I do not see it as an issue as you see it (communal). You have wrong eyes, coloured. My issue is law and order. I will see to it that if anyone interferes in a legally imported item, I will ensure that he is punished and he cannot interfere," Parrikar said.
The Chief Minister had initially said that the beef traders were found to be transporting the meat without proper certificates and were rightly impounded while not directly backing the animal rights activists.