Cattle supply crunch pushes Kerala’s meat trade into crisis

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As a mark of protest against the growing challenges, all private meat outlets and slaughterhouses in the four central Travancore districts of Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha will remain closed on June 6 and 7, according to the Meat Industries Welfare Association.

Kerala depends heavily on cattle brought in from other States to meet its demand for meat. However, cattle transported to the State are increasingly being stopped and seized on various pretexts, including the raising of emotional and political issues, particularly in Andhra Pradesh in recent months.

“There is no support coming from the authorities despite the growing challenges faced by the industry,” said M.A. Salim, president of the Meat Industries Welfare Association.

Under existing regulations, cattle transported by road are required to be accompanied by health certificates. However, industry representatives claim that following a decision by the Andhra Pradesh government that such certificates are no longer mandatory, instances of unauthorised seizures have increased. They also allege that transporters are often forced to pay hefty sums to criminal groups under the guise of ensuring hassle-free movement of cattle.

The impact is already visible in districts such as Kottayam, one of Kerala’s largest beef-consuming regions after Malappuram and Ernakulam. “Around 700 cattle, yielding an average of 150 kg of meat each, are usually brought into Kottayam every week. But with the rise in illegal seizures, we are now struggling to bring in even half that volume,” Mr. Salim said.

The resulting supply crunch has pushed beef prices sharply higher, forcing many families to reduce consumption or leave the item off their menus altogether. Given beef’s status as an affordable source of protein for a large section of the population, the issue has begun drawing attention at the administrative level, with several panchayats exploring ways to intervene in price regulation.

Traders, however, argue that attempts to r