THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the meat prices skyrocketing like never before, the city folks might just decide to turn vegetarian during Id. This might appear highly hypothetical at first, but the increasing price of meat products might force them to shed their years long affinity with non-vegetarian delicacies, during this Id. In Palayam market, the price of beef was Rs 160 and mutton Rs 360 on Monday against the last week’s rate of Rs 150 and Rs 350 respectively. The increase in the price is attributed to the hike in the price of diesel. ‘’We are forced to raise the prices due to the increased expenses required for conveying the cattle,” said Haja Jan, who regularly distributes cattle for the stalls in the city. The sale of the meat products usually increases during the festival seasons of Id and Onam. Aiming the seasonal boom, the wholesale dealers have been bringing in extra loads of cattle from across the border. Indigenous varieties of cattle, especially buffalo and ox from Neyyattinkara, Kattakkada and Ayoor are brought in large numbers to Palayam, Attakulangara and other markets in the city. The prices, which are already very high, are expected to increase again as Onam approaches. Customers thronging the market complained that the meat merchants were hoarding the cattle to create a shortage and thereby increase demand. “The price is changing at a fast pace. On the eve of Id, the meat merchants increase the prices to an all-time high. We are forced to buy meat. I can’t imagine an Id without mutton,” a burqa-clad young woman was overheard muttering to herself at the market. In rural areas, the rate of meat products are still high, with mutton costing Rs 380 and beef costing Rs 180. The lone respite for the people is the meat of chicken, which is not a favourite during Id. But this time around, chicken costing Rs 70-72 per kilogram in the city is selling well. Unlike the previous years, the price of chicken is stable in the rural and city markets. “Sale is encouraging. We record a sale of 200 kg a day,” said Syed Muhammed, a poultry merchant at Palayam Connemara market. One way to save money is to switch over to ‘Fish Biriyanis’. The months from August to October is when fishermen get a heavy catch of fish from harbours across the southern parts of the country. The rate of seer fish (neymeen) is around Rs 300 per kg in the wholesale markets. “It is a good time for the buyers as the prices will be rapidly declining,” said Christian Francis, a wholesale dealer at Pangode market.
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