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Cow slaughter not right, we still lead in beef export

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 23, Apr 2015, 15:49 pm IST | UPDATED: 23, Apr 2015, 16:11 pm IST

Cow slaughter not right, we still lead in beef export Kochi: India is racing ahead in the export of buffalo meat, ironically, as more states in the country are enforcing a strict ban on slaughter of cows and bullocks. A latest report by the United States department of agriculture (USDA) states India has widened lead over Brazil as the top global beef exporter.

Revising its October prediction by 3 per cent, the report released this month forecasts that global beef exports will touch a record 10.2 MT in 2015.

Despite a reduction in the imports by a number of oil-reliant countries including Russia due to shrinking oil revenues and weaker currencies, the exports will peak riding on larger shipments from India and to a lesser extent from European Union and Paraguay offsetting declines by Brazil, Uruguay and the US, says the report. With Russian market opening up to Indian buffalo meat export, the shipments are expected to increase in the current fiscal. Russia has approved four companies in India for supply of meat and the first consignment has already been shipped.

Data by Agricultural and Processed Food Products' Export Development Authority (Apeda) shows buffalo meat has already overtaken basmati rice as the largest exported commodity in the agri food category in terms of value.

For eleven months to February, Indian buffalo meat exports clocked 13,56,794 tonne valued at Rs 26,965 crore recording a 11 per cent rise in quantity and 13 per cent jump in value terms.

In value, the beef export has surpassed the fiscal year 2014 export of Rs 26,458 crore. Given the growth rate, bovine meat exports could touch Rs 30,000 crore in fiscal year 2015, data of which has not been finalised by Apeda.

The volumes could touch 15 lakh tonne compared to 14,49,759 tonne in the previous fiscal. But of late, buffalo meat exports have slowed down.

"The devaluation of Brazilian currency and problems in the re-export of buffalo meat from Vietnam to Hong Kong have affected Indian exports," said DB Sabharwal, secretary of All India Meat & Livestock Exporters' Association. Vietnam is the largest buyer of Indian buffalo meat, while Brazil is India's main competitor.

India's export entirely comprises water buffalo meat or carabeef unlike other countries, which include meat of cows, bullocks and calves. The recent ban on slaughter of bullocks and calves in Maharashtra, the meat exporters say, will not affect the buffalo meat exports.

"It could bring an end to illegal slaughter and raise the price for buffalo meat, thus proving to be beneficial for companies like us who are engaged in legal slaughter and export of buffalo meat," said Priya Sud, partner of Delhi-based Al Noor Exports. With prospects of purchases from a big market like Russia and several countries like Egypt buying more Indian bovine meat, the company will have to increase the production to full capacity, she added.

Currently, Uttar Pradesh is the largest beef producing state in the country.