MARGAO
With import of beef from neighbouring Karnataka coming to a total halt and the government’s intervention forthcoming, cold meat storage owners are exploring all options, including knocking the doors of other States including Delhi, to meet the beef requirements.
With the State entering the Christmas season and when the arrival of tourists during the year end is at its peak, beef has become increasing scarce. Some of the cold storage owners are believed to have turned to Delhi to get small quantities of beef to meet the demand.
While some cold meat storages are believed to have received small consignments of the meat from neighbouring Maharashtra, during the first two days after Karnataka brought in the Legislation, others have turned to the national capital to get their requirements by the railways.
There are others, who are exploring options to turn to Kerala, for the supply of the beef, but are keeping their fingers crossed over the economics taking the transportation cost factor into account.
A couple of cold storages in the city, which received beef supply from Delhi, sold the stock within minutes. Transportation via the train helps to contain the cost, but cold storage owners say they may have no option than to hike the price to cover the transportation cost.
Sources in the know informed that Kerala could be one of the option, but many feared the high transportation cost may push the already high prices of beef, which may see a reduced demand.
Presently, a kilogram of beef is sold at Rs 350. Sources, however, feared that consumers may avoid consuming beef if the price touches or crosses Rs 400 a kg.
Sources said transportation by train is a viable option, but it all depends on the space available in the brake vans in the train. “If there’s no space in the brake van, the supplier will have to take the consignment back to the abattoir. Since meat is a perishable commodity, the suppliers cannot take risks of transportation by train for want of a dedicated brake van”, a source said.
As far as road transportation of beef from Kerala is concerned, sources said it may not be a profitable proposition as the huge road transportation cost may further push the price of beef when it reaches the consumer.
Meanwhile, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha has made a fervent plea to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to get in touch with his Karnataka counterpart and resolve the issue of beef supplies to Goa in view of the ensuing Christmas and New Year festive season.
He further said that the Goa government should open up the Goa Meat Complex to ensure regular supplies of beef to the people.
When questioned whether the Goa Chief Minister can dictate terms to Karnataka over Bills that are to be passed in that state, Sardinha said “I am only asking the Chief Minister to explore the possibility of coming out with a solution or he should open the Goa Meat Complex to meet the demands”.
Saying that he too is opposed to slaughtering of cows, Sardinha, however, said that bulls and buffaloes should be allowed to be slaughtered after a certain time since it would be uneconomical for the poor farmer to rear the cattle. “Now that farmers are opting for mechanization, how do you expect a poor farmer to take care of his cattle for 13 years”, the MP wondered, while calling for a rationale solution to the problem.
