No supply of cattle after Assam ban

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, AUG 12 (NPN): After the BJP retained power in Assam after the February election, the new chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma introduced the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 in the Assembly in July. The Bill aims to prohibit the transport of cows within the state and any place outside the state. The Bill also seeks to control the slaughter of cows and consumption of cow meat. Violation of the provisions of the Bill could lead to imprisonment for three to eight years and a fine between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

As a consequence of the cow protection bill, since July transportation of cows has virtually come to a halt. This has affected states like Nagaland which depend wholly on imported cattle (cow and buffalo) for meat purposes. Sarma said the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 will not affect the other states in the North East as it is meant to stop cattle smuggling outside the country (to Bangladesh) and not the legal trade.

He said consignments destined for Meghalaya, Nagaland or Arunachal Pradesh shall require certification from the government concerned for clearance.

Several cattle traders including butchers in Dimapur, interviewed by Nagaland Post, lamented that due to ban on transportation of cows in Assam, they were facing hardship particularly even as most businesses were affected by the pandemic lockdowns.

An official in the department of veterinary & animal husbandry told Nagaland Post, that several beef traders have written to the department to ensure transportation of cattle (cow and buffalo) for business purposes via Assam. Even if cows are procured from West Bengal, transportation is banned across Assam under the new bill.

The in-charge of the slaughterhouse at Burma camp here, claimed that normally 60 to 70 cows used to be butchered daily in Dimapur. However, he said the numbers have drastically dropped and only a handful of locally bred cows were being butchered for sale.

“After July, we are not getting any cows from outside the State. Even within the state, there are hardly any cattle (cows and buffaloes) unlike piggery and poultry,” lamented a butcher. Due to scarcity, he said the rate of beef was Rs 250 per kg before current lockdown, has now shot up to Rs 300.

It may be recalled that Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has expressed serious concern with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the beef ban. Conrad has also written to the Centre over the ban which is affecting the dietary habits and economy of the people.

Nagaland is also amongst the highest meat consuming States in India and people, irrespective of their social status and position, consume meat almost on a daily basis. Of all meat items, pork (38%) is the highest consumed meat products in Nagaland, followed by chicken (30%) and beef (25%).

According to an official in the veterinary department, the State consumed 7.27 thousand tonnes of meat worth Rs 121.55 core in 2020. Of this, Rs 75 crore was on pork, Rs 19 crore on chicken, Rs 10 crore on beef and Rs 17 crore on others.

The ban on transportation of imported cattle from Assam and also import of pigs from UP, Haryana etc. only highlights the need to promote local animal farms in the state.

The official said: “We cannot depend on others for our food habits. We need to start rearing our own. We should start rearing our own indigenous breed.”

He remarked that cattle farms would also improve farmers’ income and boost their living conditions as cows dung was also a good source of manure and bio-fuel.

With sharply rising unemployment, which is a matter of serious concern, the officer said animal husbandry and dairy farming can be a source of employment and also contribute to the State’s GDP, especially n the backdrop of absence of any organised industry.

According to the Annual Administrative Report (2020-21) of the department, the sample survey report (2018-19) stated that the State produced 43.35% of the total requirement for meat worth Rs 1,219.70 crore, leaving a shortfall of 56.65 %. Out of this shortfall, the State imported Animal Husbandry products worth of Rs. 212.03 crore in monetary terms as shown in the table.

The report also indicated that there was immense potential for development of animal husbandry sector in the State. However, despite the gap in demand and supply, the import quantum of animal husbandry products was gradually decreasing when compared with the base level (2001-02), which in monetary terms stood at Rs 375 crore, and import value was calculated at Rs 212.03 crore in 2018-19. This declining import quantum suggests that there is a positive correlation between the domestic products and current human population.

Despite the gap that exist in terms of demand and supply, the report said that import quantum of animal husbandry products were gradually reducing when compared with the base level of 2001-02 (See table) which in monetary terms stands at Rs. 375 crore and in 2018-19 import value stood at Rs. 212.03 crores.

The per capita availability as of 2018-19 was– meat 85 gms/head/ day with a capita availability of 50.09 gm; milk comprises of 150 gms/head/ day with a capita availability of 97.99gm and egg per day requirements as per recommendations was ½ No/ head/ day on per capita availability of 22 (no/head/annum).

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/no-supply-of-cattle-after-assam-ban/238111.html