BJP acts to end beef shortage in Goa: Starts importing meat from Maharashtra, Karnataka

[Hindustani78]

Updated: June 14, 2015 01:40 IST
Beef ban hits Dharavi leather traders hard - The Hindu

Citing pollution fears and other factors, the successive governments shut down the tanneries in Dharavi. Photo: Vivek Bendre

Over the past three months, Haji Farookh, a third-generation leather trader has seen his business endure noticeable shifts. His godown, crammed with animal hide not too long ago, is almost vacant, while his labour force has shrunk from six to one.

Since the BJP-led government in Maharashtra banned the slaughter of bulls and bullocks, there has been an acute shortage of raw material for the leather industry. The impact is the most severe in Dharavi, one of the world’s largest slums, where Mr. Farookh operates. Though past its prime, the slum still boasts a thriving leather industry of small-scale units.

Prior to the ban, Dharavi would receive the hides of 450 bullocks and 50 buffaloes every day from the Deonar slaughterhouse, the largest in Asia. That figure has plunged to around 200, all heavy-duty buffalo hide, which has a limited and niche usage because of its hard and rough texture. Bull skin, which boasts a finer grain, durability, sharper look and comfort, is preferred for making consumer leather products such has shoes, belts, jackets and handbags, Dharavi’s mainstay. Several small units have shut down over the weeks owing to the raw material shortage. Hundreds of labourers have been rendered jobless. “The future is dark. We know nothing other than this trade. We lack the resources and the knowledge to start another business. What do we do now,” asks Mr. Farookh.

Citing pollution fears and other factors, the successive governments shut down the tanneries in Dharavi. Today, raw hides are salted in the slum and sent for processing to tanneries in Kanpur, Kolkata and Chennai. The processed leather is sent back to Dharavi for being made into attractive products, which are also exported.

Chinese imports
The influx of Chinese imports, competing alternatives like rexine, cut-throat competition, rising costs, low margins and government apathy have left a once-thriving industry in the doldrums. With the beef ban and no alternative employment, those involved in the leather trade stare at a bleak future. “It was like an earthquake. It shook our core…there were no warnings,” said Maqsood Khan, a prominent trader. The raw material shortage has already pushed up the price of leather products made and sold in Dharavi. As cheaper alternatives like rexine and attractive Chinese products gain popularity, manufacturers expect the demand for leather to fall further.

Since Maharashtra is a major supplier of top quality raw material, tanneries and manufacturing industries across India are feeling the pinch. They are forced to buy hides at increased rates and face a shortage of supply. Leather production is expected to be hit in Kanpur, Kolkata and Chennai.

Rafeeq Ahmed, chairman of the Council for Leather Exports, based in Chennai, said the short supply put pressure on pricing, especially when the international market was not in good shape. “With the rising price, the Indian leather is finding it difficult to compete in the international market. As opposed to last April, the annual growth rate has fallen from 10.4 per cent to minus 4.5 per cent,” he said.

In Kanpur, where tanneries face government action for reportedly polluting the Ganga, the raw material shortage has caused the price to rise. Since international rates are lower, exports have been hit. Sharique Shamim said his business faced a negative shift of 40-50 per cent in the last three months.

“It’s been so drastic. The source of supply is cut. Raw material is expensive. The orders have shrunk remarkably as Bangladesh, Brazil and Pakistan offer cheaper goods,” said Mr. Shamim. To meet domestic demands, local leather industries will have to import raw material, experts say.

 

[MohitV]

if cow slaughter is an issue then i guess indian guv. shld consider importin beef frm outside or else it will hit our tourism industry very badly.....

 

[Hindustani78]

if cow slaughter is an issue then i guess indian guv. shld consider importin beef frm outside or else it will hit our tourism industry very badly.....

International rates are lower and the point is this does the Indian ban is affecting the International market ?

 

[Hindustani78]

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti feeds cows during her visit to Gir Seva Goshala in Ahmedabad on Sunday. PTI Photo.

 

[Hindustani78]

Under the insurance scheme, a maximum of five cattle/buffaloes would be covered by a farmers’ family. The maximum insurance cover for an animal is Rs 50,000. File Photo: M. Srinath.

Milch cattle, buffaloes to be covered under livestock insurance - The Hindu

According to 2012 Livestock Census, Karnataka has 95 lakh of cattle and 35 lakh buffaloes.
With foot-and mouth disease and road accidents claiming the lives of thousands of cattle in the past, the State government has decided to implement the livestock insurance scheme in this financial year to encourage farmers to insure their milch cattle and buffaloes.

Under the scheme, a maximum of five cattle/buffaloes would be covered by a farmers’ family. The maximum insurance cover for an animal is Rs 50,000.

So far, milch cows and buffaloes purchased under bank loans covered under the insurance scheme. Now, it has been decided to provide insurance cover for all milch animals in the State.

While the Government will bear 40 per cent, the Karnataka Milk Federation and other milk producers’ societies would bear 30 per cent of the premium for the insurance cover to milch cows. The beneficiary farmer would have to bear rest of the amount.

The Government has set aside Rs. Nine crore for paying its share of premium, according to Animal Husbandry Minister T.B. Jayachandra, who made efforts to get the Cabinet nod for the proposal last week.

If a cow is insured for Rs. 50,000, the yearly premium would be two per cent of the cost, which is about Rs. 1,000. The farmer will have to pay Rs. 300 a year while the remaining will be borne by the government.

According to 2012 Livestock Census, the State has 95 lakh of cattle and 35 lakh buffaloes.

Mr. Jayachandra said the scheme would benefit dairy farmers immensely. As certain category breed cattle are very expensive, generally, farmers have not been covering milch animals under the insurance scheme owing to ignorance and financial difficulties, he said.

Dairy farmers are already facing financial difficulties owing to cut in milk prices by milk unions owing to excess milk production (74 lakh litres per day) in the State.

In Karnataka, the share of animal husbandry in Gross State Domestic Product of agriculture and allied activities was around 20 per cent. The share of Karnataka in all India livestock population was 5.4 per cent.

The State Cabinet also cleared a proposal on implementation of the Pashu Bhagya - a scheme aimed at providing interest subsidy to farmers setting up cattle, sheep, poultry and piggery units.

Under the scheme, small and marginal farmers, having up to two hectares of land, are entitled for bank loans up to Rs. 1.2 lakh on each unit. While Government would reimburse 33 per cent of interest amount on the total amount in the case of SC/ST families and 25 per cent of interest on the amount in the case of other famers, he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

Kerala beef merchants protest against attacks, check on cattle trucks

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 04, 2015, DHNS:

Beef merchants in Kerala on Monday revived their protest against checks and attacks on vehicles carrying cattle from other states.
In what the traders called the second stage of agitation against continuing attacks — most of them reported near Palakkad, bordering Tamil Nadu — beef stalls downed shutters across the state on Monday.

Livestock trade between Tamil Nadu and Kerala has been hit since mid-June after the attacks on cattle trucks, allegedly by Sangh-affiliated outfits with a proclaimed stance against cow slaughter.

They have severely affected consumption of beef, a staple in the state’s non-vegetarian menu.

Sources said supply of red meat in Kerala was only about 10 per cent of its potential. Kerala Beef Merchants Association (KBMA) vice-president K M Ummer said transport of cattle from other states, too, has stopped following protests in Tamil Nadu against extensive government checks at the state border and continuing attacks by people claiming to be animal rights activists. “These attacks clearly have nothing to do with animal rights. These are criminal acts by people who are against cow slaughter. We don’t have a choice but to shut business and make ourselves heard,” Ummer told Deccan Herald.

KBMA representatives said the state government was yet to act on the issue, which is snowballing into a livelihood crisis for thousands of workers in the state.

Price rise

The price of beef in Kerala crossed Rs 300 per kg on Monday. Hotels in the state, hit by the shortage, have reportedly hiked prices of beef dishes.

KBMA members are said to be planning a protest march in Coimbatore later this week. They are also reportedly planning to block entry of trucks carrying vegetables and poultry from other states. While the movement of cattle trucks into Kerala was stopped on Monday, players in the branded and organised sectors continued to supply beef.

“We don’t have a slaughterhouse. We source the meat from elsewhere. As of now, the crisis has not affected these sellers,” said Baby, an employee at a meat stall here.

 

[nair]

Kerala beef merchants protest against attacks, check on cattle trucks

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 04, 2015, DHNS:

Beef merchants in Kerala on Monday revived their protest against checks and attacks on vehicles carrying cattle from other states.
In what the traders called the second stage of agitation against continuing attacks — most of them reported near Palakkad, bordering Tamil Nadu — beef stalls downed shutters across the state on Monday.

Well these merchants are to be blamed....... Idiots put green chilly in the eyes of these poor animals, so that they dont sleep while travelling in truck......

 

[naveen mishra]

if cow slaughter is an issue then i guess indian guv. shld consider importin beef frm outside or else it will hit our tourism industry very badly.....

what you think tourist cant survive with out eating beef

lol

 

[Guynextdoor2]

Well these merchants are to be blamed....... Idiots put green chilly in the eyes of these poor animals, so that they dont sleep while travelling in truck......

Do you not think this s*it is a waste of money? Technically beef must be made in Maharashtra and the meat transported, not the other way around. This is a criminal waste of petroleum to feed some egos.

 

[nair]

Do you not think this s*it is a waste of money? Technically beef must be made in Maharashtra and the meat transported, not the other way around. This is a criminal waste of petroleum to feed some egos.

The article i quoted is not about maharashtra.....

 

[Hindustani78]

This Muslim MLA campaigns to prevent cow slaughter | Zee News

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 4, 2015 - 19:36
Aligarh: Haji Zameerullah Khan, the Samajwadi Party leader, has initiated a campaign to save cows from being slaughtered.

As a part of this campaign, Muslim clerics will visit mosques and raise their voices against cow slaughtering.

The MLA from Koil has incorporated Muslim clerics, leaders and imams to campaign for the cause.

“Hindus are our brothers and they worship cows, so we respect their sentiments,” Khan has been quoted by Navbharat Times as saying.

Pledging to save cows, Khan said he discussed with Quran experts and concluded that there is no compulsion to eat beef.

Aligarh's Muslims, under the supervision of Khan, had last month marched with placards condemning cow slaughter for Hindu-Muslim unity as Aligarh district sees rampant illegal slaughter of cows.

 

[MohitV]

what you think tourist cant survive with out eating beef

lol

it certainly does affect tourism ...look at the pathetic condition of gujarat tourism coz of alcohol ban.......m a gujarati and the tourism is not doing good over here...forget about tourism....ppl from other states do not wanna work over here coz of the alcohol ban and less availability of non veg food items...even though other facilities are at par over here.........so such things do affect our economy in one way or another .....


p.s. ...i am totally against cow slaughter

 

[Hindustani78]

High Court bans sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir | Zee News
Last Updated: Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 13:51
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has imposed a ban on sale of beef in the state.

The HC directive came on Wednesday but was widely reported in the media on Thursday.

A division bench of the J&K HC passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation against cow slaughter.

The court also directed the state DGP to instruct local police officials to ensure that the ban is strictly imposed.

The court has also ordered the police to take strict action against those who violate the ban.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ramdev calls for banning cow slaughter in entire country | Zee News

Jodhpur: Amid row over ban on beef sale in some states, Yoga teacher Ramdev on Wednesday sought a prohibition on cow slaughter in the entire country and called for giving "national animal" status to it.

Ramdev also slammed those, who have been justifying beef consumption on various grounds.

"The cow slaughter should be banned in the country and it should be declared a national animal," he told reporters here.

Ramdev was here on a three-day visit to conduct Yoga sessions for BSF officials, personnel and guards and their family members. The three-day camp wrapped up today.

The yoga teacher also warned against the growing use of chemical fertilisers in agriculture.

Advocating the need for promotion of organic farming in the country, Ramdev said,"Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers on the crops is not only leading to spurt in the instances of Cancer in the country but also eroding the fertility of the land."

"Whereas, the organic crop is not only good for the health but for the health of soil also," he said.

Emphasising on 'swadeshi', Ramdev called to free the country from the clutches of multi-national pharma companies by expansion and promotion of Ayurveda and local medicine.

"In the next four to five years, we will be able to make the Ayurveda medicine available in every corner of the country, for every possible ailment, and will make these pharma MNC's leave the country," he claimed.

Replying to a question about the state of agriculture in the country, Ramdev called upon the need for "good policy with good intention" for agriculture sector.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

No meat ban during Durga Puja, says West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - The Hindu

At a time when there is a debate raging in the country on the ban on sale of meat during certain festivals, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that there would be no such ban in the State during Durga Puja.

“Different people say different things. Some try to incite riots, some say ban the sale of meat during Durga Puja. I say nothing of this sort will happen,” the Chief Minister said at a programme organised by the West Bengal Minority Affairs Department.

The remarks by Ms. Banerjee assume significance in the wake of the controversy over the ban on sale of meat in Maharashtra.

Last week, an organisation named Hindu Samhati wrote to Ms. Banerjee urging her to “ban slaughtering and transportation of cows and seeking /mobilisation of beef throughout the State” for the four days of Durga Puja.