Thiruvananthapuram: Over the past few months, the clampdown on liquor retailing was the toast of social media commentators in Kerala, who bemoaned the restricted availability of liquor.
It now appears that another favourite of Keralites — beef — may also turn scarce in the state. Beef is estimated to comprise roughly 40 per cent of all meat consumed in Kerala, and is the most affordable of all meat varieties.
Ironically, Kerala continues to be a beef-consuming state, but it is the ban imposed by states like Maharashtra and restriction on movement of cattle in other states that is threatening to dry up beef supplies to Kerala.
While Maharashtra has a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, Kerala’s problems have been compounded by the decision of cattle-protection activists to block trucks carrying cattle into Kerala from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In Tamil Nadu, the Hindu Makkal Katchi activists have blocked trucks laden with cattle, and in Karnataka the Hanuman Sena has held up trucks of cattle meant for Kerala.
Beef traders say that activists groups have even made it difficult for farmers in border districts like Kasaragod in north Kerala to buy calves and cows for their dairy operations from Karnataka. Cow-protection activists suspect that such calves and cows will be slaughtered and are preventing all consignments of cattle into the state.
Along with some northeast Indian states, Kerala has a high proportion of non-vegetarians, and beef is easily the most common meat on Keralites’ tables.
The shrinking of cattle supplies to Kerala from neighbouring states has made local beef dealers worry about the future of their business. Some of them say that indications are that the beef trade in Kerala may dry up within a few years because of unavailability of cattle for slaughter.
Earlier this year, a novel protest was held in Kerala by beef lovers in the state, drawn from all religions, by holding a ‘Beef Fest’ in the state capital, to highlight their disagreement with the Maharashtra government’s decision to ban beef sales and consumption.
According to the legislation in Maharashtra, anyone selling or eating beef could face a jail term up to five years, or a fine of Rs10,000 (Dh574).