Goa CM to officials: Import beef from Other states

Chief minister Pramod Sawant said that he has directed the department of animal husbandry and veterinary services to source live animals and beef from other states to ensure that there’s no shortage of it in the state.
Since very little beef is coming from Karnataka, some dealers have reached out to Delhi for supplies, while others are contemplating sourcing the red meat from Kerala
“I worship the cow, but as chief minister of the state, it is my duty to take care of the minority population,” he said, replying to a question on BJP having a different position on beef in other states. “There is a 30% minority population in Goa that eats beef,” he said.
Beef supply from Karnataka started on Saturday after eight consecutive days of meat stores being shut. However, the quantity is far less than usual, leading traders to make inquiries if it can be transported by rail from Delhi, and from Kerala.
“Some stock currently comes from Delhi by train in the form of pre-packaged frozen beef,” said Simon Baretto, who owns a cold meat storage unit in Margao. “There is no ban in Delhi, so dealers there can continue supplying the meat to us. The next option is Kerala, for which we will have to go there and arrange the supply.”
President of the All Goa Cold Storage Owners’ Association, Vernon Lobo, said that there has been a 75% drop in the quantity of beef coming in from Belagavi after supply resumed over the weekend.
“When the law gets enforced, our suppliers from Belagavi will have no other alternative but to stop sending beef to Goa,” he said. “Currently, the quantity we receive gets over within an hour or two. While we are presently getting some stock from Delhi, the rates are higher due to transportation. It’s roughly Rs 50-70 cheaper to procure it from Karnataka.”
Mohammad Siddiqui has been receiving supply of beef at his cold storage store from Monday, but all of the 100kg he received sold out the same day.
“Christmas is just around the corner, and people are unsure about until when supply is going to be consistent,” he said. Currently, round beef is selling for Rs 380-400 kg, tongue for Rs 400 and undercut for Rs 500 a kg.
Proprietor of a prominent hypermarket in Panaji said that he has been sourcing beef from Maharashtra from trusted suppliers and has therefore not been affected by the Karnataka bill. “When we can get beef from a neighbouring state, there is no need to go as far as Kerala or Delhi. And that is how it should be,” he said.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes