NEW DELHI: Acute shortage of livestock due to the lockdown in the national capital has led to a sharp rise in prices of mutton. The average price of goat meat was Rs 600-650 per kg till last week of March before the city’s sole abattoir Ghazipur was shut.
Within a month, prices skyrocketed from Rs 600 to Rs 1,000-1,200 per kg. As mutton or buffalo meat is not easily available, the demand for chicken meat is picking up after a short lull, which is now being sold at Rs 130-140 per kg.
Justifying high prices of mutton, traders said shopkeepers are compelled to purchase locally reared animals, which are usually costlier than the stock coming from other states.
“Shopkeepers are somehow arranging animals through their contacts. Retail rates have increased for obvious reasons as they are buying animals at a higher price. Moreover, only a few retailers get supply, which too is not smooth because of lockdown,” said Mohammad Asif, who runs a meat shop in old Delhi area.
Meanwhile, after a long gap, buffalo meat was also sold in some localities on Friday. However, its prices were also higher albeit marginally.
“A few meat exporters sold frozen stock in the local market. So, a couple of local butchers could get some supply. Earlier, they would sell buffalo meat for Rs 200 per kg but on Friday, the rate was Rs 240. We don’t know whether we will get more stock in coming days,” said a meat trader.