Delhi short of meat post UP abattoir owners strike

New Delhi: Due to crackdown on illegal abattoirs and meat seller’s strike in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, meat supply in the national capital has been hit hard, but the real impact will be felt only after the 9-day-long Navratra.

Industry experts said as the meat consumption gets reduced by around 50 per cent during the festival, it will “soften the blow” of the shortage. An official in Ghazipur wholesale meat market said supply of goats from Uttar Pradesh has totally stopped.

A meat wholesaler said some suppliers from Uttar Pradesh, who have licences to run their business, have also stopped sending goats fearing attacks by vigilantes. Traders said the shortage of supply will not affect Delhi till after the Navratra though marginal increase in mutton prices has been reported in some areas.

Garish Oberoi, Vice-President of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India, said chicken and mutton supply to hotel industry has not been affected significantly. He, however, said buffalo meat supply has been hit hard.

Meat sellers at Ghazipur Mandi in East Delhi are anticipating a rise in prices if the strike continues in UP.

“As Delhi doesn’t have livestock farms, the city only relies on UP, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana. Earlier, around 20 trucks loaded with goats used to come to Ghazipur Mandi every day from Uttar Pradesh. There has been no supply from UP in the last few days. We are currently depending on supplies from Punjab and Rajasthan,” said Mohammad Atiq, a wholesaler of goat meat.

“The real impact of the crackdown on slaughter houses will be felt once the Navratras ends,” general secretary of Ghazipur poultry market association Mohammed Saleem said. “Usually, the demand of goat meat is down around two-three days before the start of Navratra,” he said.