Cold storages at Vasco and parts of South Goa have failed to get their quota of beef from their suppliers in Belgaum, as they have stopped the beef supply to Goa.
“Beef supply from Belgaum has stopped. Most of my customers have had to go back empty-handed, as there is no beef supply from Belgaum. Even cold storages in Margao are facing a big problem, as they cannot get the required quantity of beef,” remarked Jose Fernandes, a cold storage owner from Vasco.
“Some cold storage owners from Margao are now sending their own vehicles to procure their quota of meat. I have been sending my customers back since the past 15 days, as beef supply has been stopped by my supplier,” added Fernandes.
Commenting on the problem, a beef stall owner from Vasco claimed that farmers from Belgaum have objected to the sale of bulls and oxen for slaughtering.
“The farmers maintain that due to a shortage of cattle, they find it difficult to plough their fields,” said the stall owner.
The beef stall owner further said the Goa Meat Complex (GMC) is undergoing maintenance work and they are not allowed to slaughter animals at the meat complex.
“Earlier, we used to procure animals from Belgaum and slaughter them at GMC. However, this has been stopped and hence, we are forced to buy meat from Belgaum,” he said.
A customer, Peter Fernandes, said it was surprising that GMC has been closed down on the pretext of maintenance. “If GMC slaughters the animals, it can cater to the demands of beef stalls and cold storages all over Goa,” he said.
“Meat is our main dish during any occasion and due to shortage of meet at cold storages, we have to face a great problem,” said Fernandes.
A caterer, Anthony Vaz, said he prefers to purchase meat from cold storages rather than from beef stalls. “Meat from cold storages is preferred as less cleaning is required as compared to meat from beef stalls.
“Even animals from other states which are certified by the veterinary doctors are not allowed to be slaughtered at GMC and our elected representatives have remained silent on this issue. If the same trend continues, events like weddings and other festivals will face a problem,” said Vaz.
