Imphal, November 09 2009: Although the prices of meat are sky-rocketing, the number of consumers has doubled in just over one year in Manipur.

With the setting in of winter season, butchers are all smile as majority of the people feel that meat is the best bait to fight the cold.

But in overall count, irrespective of the seasonal effect, the number of meat eaters are rising in Manipur if the quantities of sale index are to be based.

Moreover, the prices of meat are also sky rocketing in Imphal.

The butchers attributed for this development to the increase of the prices of animal fodder and poultry feed.

According to the butchers at Khuman Lampak Gate complex (Dingku Road) in Imphal, a single shop manages to sell 90 kilograms to 100 kilograms per day on average this year compared to last year when a butcher could sell only 50 to 60 kilograms per day.

Given this picture, the number of meat consumers are on the rise this year by 50%.A random survey conducted by Newmai News Network at different points in the state capital on Monday shows that the business people dealing meat are happy lot these days as the number of meat lovers have doubled this year.

The butcher-shop owners revealed that a boneless beef was sold at Rs 120 per kilogram last year while the same has been increased to Rs 140 this year.

However, this factor has not deterred the meat eaters from scaling down their expenses on the commodity.

The price of pork has also risen this year but the rate varies from locality to locality.

There are some shops that sell for just Rs 125 per kilogram but still others sell it for Rs 140 per kilogram.

Meanwhile, according to the butchers, the only time that had given hiccup to their business this year was during the peak time of swine flu outbreak.

"This was because of a misconception," said a butcher.

The butchers then said that they do not face any problem in finding shortage of animal for the slaughter-house, thanks to the entrepreneurs who have been dedicating in animal farming.

Comment