TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: Beef turned scarce across the State on Monday as import of the meat from across the border from Belgaum was hit by the goods transporters strike which began midnight.
Transporters supplying beef consignment to the cold storages across the state stayed away since midnight, affecting the supply of the meat on Monday. The state receives beef from Belgaum every alternate day on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
What aggravated things for the beef lovers is that there’s already a total stop on the cattle slaughter at the Goa Meat complex, which has affected supply of meat.
A cold storage owner told Herald that the owners are keeping their fingers crossed on the resumption of beef supply to the state. He pointed out that apart from affecting the sale of meat on the counters, the strike will hit the seasonal demand in view of the festivals and weddings lined up during the months.
Herald inquiries have revealed that the cold storage owners had placed heavy orders for beef supply on Saturday in view of the transporters strike from Sunday midnight, but the stock was sold within no time on Monday.
Meanwhile, vegetables from Belgaum arrived in the Margao markets on Monday morning, but vendors kept their fingers crossed on the situation in the next two days.
Leader of Gandhi market vegetable vendors Babu Azgaonkar said that there was no effect on the supply of vegetables since the trucks carrying the goods had entered into Goa before midnight.
“Normally, Goa markets do not receive vegetable supply from Belgaum on Tuesday. We will have to wait and see how the situation emerges on Wednesday with the transporters going on a strike from midnight”, Azgaonkar added.
In the meantime, Mumbai-bound buses left for Mumbai from the Margao KTC bus stand this evening after the inter-state bus owners called on the government in Panjim.
