MAPUSA
The beef shops in Mapusa have remained shut for the past five days since there has been no supply of red meat from Karnataka.
The passage of a bill to ban cow slaughter in Karnataka has affected the supply of beef and livestock in the State.
Several beef traders and sellers in Mapusa have expressed concern over the passing of the stringent legislation in the neighbouring State which would have impact on their livelihood.
“We have been in this trade for the last more than 30 years. We have our family to look after as this is our only source of income,” said Dastagiri Bepari, who runs a beef stall in Mapusa.
The beef traders and sellers were addressing the media on Tuesday.
Goa depends on Karnataka for its stock of beef supply. The beef traders bring in freshly slaughtered beef or livestock from neighbouring Belagavi, which is later slaughtered at the government run slaughterhouse.
The Mapusa beef sellers were getting a supply of almost 10 tonnes of beef on a daily basis. They said Mapusa needs at least three tonnes of beef per day.
“Eight months back people in Goa did not get beef at Easter due to the lockdown and the Covid scare. Now, with the cattle ban bill introduced in Karnataka, people in the State will not get beef for Christmas,” said Asif Choudhary, another beef seller from Mapusa.
Almost 40 percent of people in Goa consume the red meat besides the demand is also from the hotel industry, which caters to foreign tourists.
“The Goa government should intervene in the matter and come out with some solution to this problem,” said Lazarus Noronha, who also runs a beef stall.
