Beef lovers return home disappointed as cold storages run out of stock for days; SGPDA market stalls also report shortages, consumers cry foul
An empty beef stall at the SGPDA market as beef ran out of stock on Saturday noon.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Strange it may seem but true that when the Goa Meat Complex takes pride in exporting beef to the Gulf country of Iraq, meat supplies to the local market have turned irregular in the last few days.
In fact, beef meat lovers may have a question or two for the government to answer – why beef supplies to the local market face disruptions when the Goa Meat Complex takes pride in exporting tons of beef to Iraq?
This question may come to haunt the Goa Meat Complex as beef meat lovers had to return home disappointed for the last four days with cold storage owners running out of meat stock. It was only on Saturday evening that the cold storage owners in Salcete received small quantity of beef, which may not even last for a day.
At the SGPDA market, beef lovers returned home disappointed with beef supplies running out of stock. It could, however, not be ascertained whether the beef traders at the SGPDA market are facing a similar problem because of the GMC or is plagued by other issues.
A cold storage owner from Salcete told The Goan that the cold storages across Goa did not receive supplies of beef from the Goa Meat Complex for the last four days. “When we placed orders with the Goa Meat Complex, the meat is not supplied by the complex. We find this rather strange, more so when beef is exported to Iraq after slaughtering at the Goa Meat Complex,” remarked a trader.
He added: “We have no issue if the Goa Meat Complex is slaughtering animals for exports. But, the meat complex should first cater to the requirements of the local beef eaters. Let the Goa Meat Complex export surplus beef for the international market, but at no cost should the local supplies be disrupted because of the exports.”
Sources said some of the cold storage owners received supplies of beef on Saturday evening, but it will not improve the situation to any extent. “Each of the cold storage units in Margao was sent one animal each, when our requirement is two or more animals. The supply could not meet the requirements of the consumers. The GMC should take care to see that our minimum supplies are maintained by the complex,” a cold storage unit owner added.
Beef supplies to the SGPDA market have also been irregular in the last few days, but it could not be confirmed whether it is due to similar issues faced by the cold storage owners or because of some other issues. However, beef stalls at the SGPDA market ran out of stock on Saturday noon, leaving consumers disappointed.
