“We are trying to ensure that mutton dealers and retailers become more accountable. We will increase the mutton rates only after taking on board all the stakeholders,” Mir says, adding that CAPD would continue its drive against mutton retailers who are violating the rate list approved by it.
Mir agrees that CAPD department is so far unable to check the sale of mutton at higher prices than the government approved rates. “They sell it during early hours or late in the evening when officials are off the duty,” he said.
“Mutton retailers have to sell the meat at Rs 298 with a profit margin of Rs 30. And if they violate the government set rates, we will take firm action against them,” Shafat Iqbal, deputy director CAPD, says.
To ensure the implementation of fair prices, CAPD has started its crackdown against meat sellers and vowed to continue it, till mutton retailers adhere to the new rates fixed by it.
“The mutton supply is regularly coming to valley as around 35 trucks loaded with livestock are supplied to different areas every day,” Iqbal says. “There is availability of livestock and mutton, and around six thousand livestock are supplied to valley everyday to meet the daily needs.”
Of late, CAPD is being alleged to have issued more than 2,000 licenses to persons who illegally run the trade. “There are only 206 licenses issued to mutton dealers in valley,” Iqbal says. “Still, we will ensure that nobody would misuse their licenses.”
‘Occupied’ Pastures!
One of the popular notions in Kashmir goes: ‘Despite having some of the best meadows and pastures in the world, most of the mutton is sourced from Rajasthan, which has some of the most arid deserts in the country.’
So what stops state to utilize the potential of its lush green pastures for raising livestock? Pastures and meadows under the occupation of government forces make them inaccessible for local rearers.
Last year, the state government revealed that most of meadows in J&K especially in Ladakh and bordering LoC are not accessible to herdsmen for security and other reasons. This has affected the local produce considerably. Such restrictions have left local herdsmen immovable.
As per the figures released by the state government, 25,957 kanals of land are under “illegal possession” of Army, Border Security Force, Central Reserve of Police Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police, Police and Airforce in different districts of valley.
“Despite having vast pastures at our disposal we are dependent on desert regions for our livestock needs,” said a senior official in state sheep husbandry department who wished not to be named. “A part of our pasture land is under security forces. Only Toto ground in Srinagar, which houses Army, if vacated, can provide space for more than 1000 sheep to rear.”
Grade C Consumers!
Mutton is available in three categories based on quality and gradation. Grade A, B and C are three available grades in the outside markets. Just forget about Grade A, 85 percent populace of valley is being fed with Grade C only. Grade A does not cross the Jawahar Tunnel, Grade B is mostly sought for marriages in valley, as it is said to be apt for preparation of Wazwan, while Grade C constitutes bulk of local consumption.
Grade A mutton is yielded from a lamb, less than 1-yr-old. The meat is said to be very tasty, but it has no takers in valley. It is not imported to valley, due to its higher mortality rate during transportation, but it is highly relished outside Kashmir.
Grade B mutton is yielded from above 1-yr-old sheep. The meat is said to be a bit fibrous and is transported to valley in bulk for the local marriage consumption. Grade C meat comes from a sheep above 2-yr-old. It has fat layers and is consumed in Kashmir only, however the nutritive value of all three grades is same.
