|By Arabian Post Staff| A likely ban on slaughter houses in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which contributes a major portion of India’s meat exports, following the election of the right-wing BJP government in the state is sending a chill down India’s meat industry.
If the government goes ahead with the ban, it will have serious implications for markets like the Middle East, where Indian meat is in great demand. This could lead to a shortage in supply as well as price increases.
There is nearly a panic situation as the state government moves ahead with the ban, which was proposed in the ruling party’s election manifesto for the recently held state assembly poll. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party swept the poll, with an unprecedented 80 percent seats in its kitty, in the wake of which the party installed a government led by one of the most radical Hindu leaders. The firebrand Yogi Adityanath has been credited with numerous statements that led to fanning of communal tensions.
The BJP’s manifesto promised that all illegal and legal slaughterhouses in UP will be closed down from the night a BJP government is sworn in. The party claims that livestock levels have dipped in UP due to widespread slaughter and smuggling. There are nearly 40 legal slaughterhouses in UP which are duly licensed by the Centre’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). A large number of them operate without any licence or permissions.
As per Livestock Census 2012, there was a 28% growth of population of buffalos and 10% growth of cows in UP from 2007. The 2017 census is still on. UP is the country’s biggest buffalo meat exporter. What happens to business sentiment in UP if BJP goes ahead with this,” he said. BJP says the issue has “emotional connect” on the ground and farmers wanted slaughterhouses to be close.
