PANJIM: Shortage of beef has neither resulted in substantial increase in chicken and mutton sales nor prices, an informal survey suggests. Beef supplies have been hit for over a month now, even though the Goa Meat Complex has been trying to meet the demand.
The sale and supply of chicken and mutton to the Goan market remained the same as most of the retailers in North as well as South Goa maintained that there is no change in the sale and supply of chicken and mutton despite the shortage.
The prices of chicken and mutton have also not gone up so far and chicken which was costing around Rs 110 per kg earlier, is still selling at the same price, in most urban markets in the State. It continues to vary between Rs 110 and 130 per kg in rural areas.
Mutton prices have also remained the same between Rs 440 and 460 across all the markets in the State.
Tanveer Sheikh, a Panjim municipal market retailer, said, “There is neither an increase in prices nor in demand and supply due to beef shortage. This indicates that the people from the community that consumes beef are not opting for any other meat.”
Minority leader and State secretary of GPCC Urfan Mulla said that the common man in Goa is presently suffering due to the beef shortage as he cannot afford the high prices of mutton and fish. “You cannot change your eating habit in a day or two, as most of the Muslims and Catholics in Goa prefer having beef as it is affordable. Half a kg of beef is sufficient for the entire family which will cost around Rs 100,” Mulla said.
Edwin Fonseca, president of Goa Catholic Association said, “The present requirement of beef in Goa varies between 40 and 50 tonnes a day.” He stressed on the fact that beef is the staple food of the minorities in Goa and one of the cheapest meats available in the market. “Minorities cannot afford fish and mutton or chicken on a daily basis due to its high rate and that could be one of the reasons that there is no change in market pattern of meat and beef lovers always prefer beef and it cannot be replaced by any other meat,” Fonseca said.
Beef shortage hit Goa after certain NGOs indulged in policing and stopping supplies, alleging that the papers were not in order or that proper procedures were not followed. There were also allegations of phenol being thrown on the beef supply, which forced traders from Belgaum to stop supplies to Goa.
