As impasse continues, 15-member delegation finds varied mutton rates in New Delhi

Dealers say number of trucks with mutton livestock to Valley has decreased from 20 to 7 per day

KNO Correspondent

Srinagar, Dec 22 (KNO): The 15-member delegation comprising traders, civil society members and media persons have found fluctuated rates of mutton in New Delhi.

The delegation was formed after government asked traders to visit New Delhi and assess the rates amid the deadlock over mutton rates in J&K.

The deadlock begun after the government issued fresh rates, asking mutton dealers to sell mutton @Rs 480 per kg, which otherwise is being sold @ Rs 600 per kg.

The 15-member delegation as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) visited various mutton dealers in New Delhi to assess the rates. However, the committee has found fluctuated rates while the dealers have stated that nearly seven trucks mutton livestock supply are reaching J&K at present being due to the deadlock.

The dealers have said that at least 20 trucks of mutton livestock used to reach J&K before the deadlock.

As per the committee, the livestock dealers said that no monitoring system of mutton grading and quality is being done in the livestock markets.

The dealers said that in Kashmir, Grade-C is being mostly exported from Ambala while the mutton dealers in Delhi said that they only export Grade-1 mutton livestock to Kashmir.

According to the committee, the rates kept on fluctuating from one dealer to the other.

The mutton livestock organizer at Ambala livestock market, as per the committee said that before the deadlock, in an average on daily basis, around 20 trucks of mutton livestock supply used to reach for Kashmir while after impasse, only 5-7 trucks are reaching the Valley.

It is pertinent to mention here that the many of the butchers at present are selling chicken at their shops due to the impasse over the rates as the government has so far booked many mutton dealers for selling meat at exorbitant rates—(KNO)