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Kolhapur mutton traders go on strike as regulated price of Rs480/kg grills profits
Pune bears brunt as prices rise to Rs600/kg on low supply of meat
Pune bears brunt as prices rise to Rs600/kg on low supply of meat
The thought of preparing a wholesome mutton curry seems like a dream for Kolhapur residents since November, as the crisis surrounding the price for its main element - mutton - does not seem to sheepishly fade.
Adding to the woes is the strike called by mutton traders in Kolhapur from Monday (January 6). The sellers decided to shut shop after the regulated price of Rs480 per kilogramme for mutton, decided by the district collector, leaves them with no profit at all, according to traders.
Vijay Kamble, president of Khatik Association in Kolhapur, said, “The price of goats has increased and it is tough for us to survive as there is no profit margin left if we sell mutton according to the price decided by the collector. Almost all the cities in Maharashtra sell mutton for more than Rs 600 per kg. We are the ones bearing the loss in Kolhapur. We are protesting in a non-violent manner and will not conduct any agitations. We are just stopping the sale of mutton.”
In Pune too, the rise in mutton prices has forced many residents to shun it and switch to chicken. Pankaj Tuptewar, a meat trader, said that chicken is the most affordable meat right now. Traders are also reporting a shortage of the meat in the city, which is a hot commodity among residents. “As the price of mutton has increased, many residents are now preferring to consume chicken. Usually in the winter season, the demand for chicken, eggs and meat rises and this time due to the high mutton prices, there is an increased demand for chicken,” Tuptewar added.
Ahilyadeve mutton shop owner, Vittal Thorpe, said that currently his business of selling mutton is witnessing a loss. “We have proposed a rate of selling mutton at Rs 600 per kg in Pune since Diwali. On Monday, I purchased 10 goats from Karnataka and the rate per kg is Rs 625. The demand made by Kolhapur traders is right, why should they face a loss?”
Between November 1 and December 10, 2019, the cost of one kg of mutton rose from Rs450 to Rs650 in Kolhapur. Then, on December, a 12-member committee had been formed by the Kolhapur district collector to study why the mutton prices are rising as residents protested on the streets and demanded a stable price for the commodity. After the committee submitted the report, the price of mutton was fixed at Rs480 per kg by the collector.
Mutton shop owners also claimed that the district administration did not have the power to decide the prices and hence, decided to go on strike and stop the sale of the meat from Monday.
“The consumption of mutton has decreased in Pune as we are selling less amount of meat. However, people who love to eat mutton are still buying it despite the price rise in the city,” said Thorpe.
Thorpe said that recently Sangli selllers also faced a similar problem. However, when Sangli traders increased the price of mutton, residents readily accepted the change in rates as they even about the hardships which the traders were facing.
