PANJIM: The State Government’s plan to outsource its sole abattoir has suffered a major setback with its global tender, invited to outsource the facility, receiving no response. No assured supply of animals for slaughter is the biggest hindrance in way of putting the facility in operation.
The abattoir, operated by the Goa Meat Complex Limited (GMCL) has been shut since October 2014 owing to non-availability of raw material that is animal for slaughter. This had prompted GMCL to outsource the facility.
The GMCL on May 7 had invited global tenders online for use of the entire capacity of the modern abattoir, for slaughtering of bovine animals. This was for an initial period of five years. However, when the tenders were opened on June 3, GMCL found no takers.
A senior official informed that though total six companies, including two international, had approached the corporation and even visited the abattoir, no one had bid for the tender.
The other four companies included two each from Delhi and Goa.
“The companies that approached us raised concern about availability of raw material. The animals for slaughter are not available in Goa and the neighbouring State like Maharashtra has a ban on animal slaughter. In Karnataka too, it is difficult to get the required animals,” the official said.
GMCL has managed to get all the required permissions like licenses from Factories and Boilers, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and consent to operate from Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), mandatory for functioning of abattoir.
“The prime condition of the tender was that the agency should be able to fulfill the local meat demand through fresh slaughter every day,” said the official, adding that a minimum of 30 animals are required daily for slaughter for the abattoir to function.
The slaughter house shift is of 150 animals per day; but for initial operation of the unit, at least 30 animals are required daily, which is under doubt.
Officials added that they will now approach the government where they will put their case across to ascertain the way forward. “We will inform the government that no company has made a bid and about the concerns they raised about the availability of raw materials” added the officials.
The abattoir was last put in operation on August 22, 2018 on the occasion of Bakri Eid, with provisional licences.
This year too, the GMCL has decided to put in operation its abattoir for Quarbani on August 11.
