SHILLONG, June 16: After the emergence of diseases affecting cattle and pigs in the city, the sale of beef and pork have taken a serious beating in the past few weeks, to the point where the sale of pork in the city has reduced by 50% compared to figures before the spread of ASF.
African Swine Fever (AFS) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) have affected pigs and cattle respectively across the state.
While pork is down 50%, the condition is not any better with beef as people are still hesitant to the purchase the meat.
Earlier, around 60 to 70 pigs would be slaughtered at the abattoir in Mawlai on a daily basis. At present, however, around 30 pigs only are being slaughtered on a single day.
As many as 10 cattle would be slaughtered daily during the normal days. However, not even one of them is slaughtered at the abattoir currently due to the lower demand.
General secretary of Khasi-Jaintia Butcher Welfare Association (KJBWA), Generous Warlarpih told The Shillong Times that the government should find ways to prevent or contain the disease after conducting studies on the factors which led to the spread of the disease in the past two years.
On the worrying sale figures, Warlarpih said that he completely understands the hesitation of the meat buyers. “We have seen the spread of Lumpy Skin Disease. The government should take proactive measures on how to contain this disease,” Warlarpih said.
Noting that the government has officially issued a statement in the media about the spread of LSD, he said that “the government should also come out with a statement when the state is free from this disease.” “People will be in the dark if there is no official statement from the government,” KJBWA general secretary said.
Meanwhile, Warlarpih pointed out that the state government is yet to fully regulate the slaughter of animals for meat consumption. “It is important for the state government to make it mandatory that animals should be slaughter in the abattoir,” he said.
According to him, the doctor will do the health check-up and carry out the anti and post-mortem of the animals slaughtered in the abattoir.
“This will ensure that meat which is sold in the market is safe for consumption. But, sadly the government is still allowing people to kill the animals outside the slaughter house, which is not healthy. I fail to understand why the government is silent on this issue till now,” KJBWA general secretary said.
He suggested that slaughter of animals at abattoir should be made mandatory for consumption of meat in Shillong, initially. “I know it is not possible to impose this condition outside Shillong. But the government can carry out the health check-up of animals before it is slaughtered in various weekly markets like Smit,” he said.
Stating that the butchers or meat sellers cannot certify that the meat being sold is safe for consumption, Warlarpih said that it is only the veterinary doctors who can certify and declare the meat safe. “This is possible only if the animals are slaughtered inside the slaughtered house. As of now, there are very few butchers who are slaughtering the cattle and pigs at the slaughter house,” KJBWA general secretary said.
Meanwhile, Warlarpih said that the butchers presently are depending on cattle from the state for meat consumption. “No cattle from outside entered the state after the Assam Government had passed Assam Cattle Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2021,” KJBWA general secretary added.
Meanwhile, Khasi Jaintia Pig Butcher Association (KJPBA) general secretary Andy Lyngdoh Nongpiur said, “Majority are not buying pork despite doctors has cleared stated that it is safe to consume it if it properly cooked. The sale has come down by 50 percent for the past three to four weeks.”
He, however, said that there are people who are still consuming pork and many of the restaurants are still serving the meat.
KJPBA general secretary said that the official from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department has told them that the situation has now improved as there are no cases of deaths of pigs due to ASF for the past many days.
