Mutton crisis over in Kashmir as ice melts after crucial meet

SRINAGAR — After almost a gap of four months, stalemate over mutton finally ended on Wednesday after a threadbare discussion was held between mutton dealers, members of Kashmir Economic Alliance officers and the Divisional administration Kashmir.

After meeting the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole, Khazir Muhammad Regoo, President Retail Mutton Dealer’s Association and Co-Chairman Kashmir Economic Alliance, Farooq Ahmed Dar announced that all mutton shops will open from tomorrow.

“We had a threadbare discussion with the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir. Government is not ready to fix Rs. 550 as rate for per kilogram mutton and after discussions, new rate has been fixed at Rs. 535 per kg,” said President Retail Mutton Dealer’s Association, Khazir Muhammad Regoo said that even though there is very less profit in the new rate, but they have agreed to sell meat at Rs. 535 per kg from tomorrow.

“In the interest of people, all mutton shops will open in Kashmir and mutton will be sold at Rs. 535 per kilogram,” he said.

Present on the occasion, KEA Co-Chairman Farooq Ahmed Dar said that there were some black sheep in the mutton trade who were not allowing the stalemate to end. “In the interest of Kashmir’s ailing lot, general public and the 35000 families who are associated directly and indirectly with the mutton trade, we agreed with the rate suggested by the government. In the past four months, there has been Rs. 800 Crore loss to the mutton industry of Kashmir,” Dar said.

Pertinently, mutton has been off the markets in Kashmir in the past four months and people were facing severe shortage of meat.

“Black marketing of mutton will end now and people will heave a sigh of relief,” said Dar, who himself went to mandi’s of Rajasthan, New Delhi and other parts of India.

“We had suggested Rs. 550 rate per kilogram. But the Government wasn’t satisfied with this rate and after thorough discussion, Rs. 535 was agreed upon,” he said.

Asked how much loss mutton industry has suffered in the past four months, he said: “Mutton industry is a big industry in Kashmir and this industry has suffered Rs. 800 Crore loss.”