There is a somewhat artificial shortage of mutton in Kashmir. Notwithstanding it, the authorities maintain that regular mutton supplies arrive in the Valley. Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) department on weekend said that 150- 200 trucks of sheep arrived in the last ten days only. At present mutton dealers are selling it in a manner to avoid sealing of their shops. Either they sell it clandestinely and at places on carts in front of their shops. Some traders sell at their shops but not during official hours. However one thing is common among them. They sell it far above the rate fixed officially. Recently, the concerned department launched a massive drive to make mutton dealers fall in line as far as officially fixed rates are concerned. The department says its drive follows continuous complaints from various corners regarding overcharging by mutton sellers. The department’s enforcement squad were sealing mutton shops and imposing fines on erring traders for violating E.C.Act.
Moreover, the department says erring lot has been reprimanded to remain careful in future and warned that whosoever found violating the norms will be “brought to justice”.
While action by the government as far as ensuring implementation of the fixed rates is welcome, mutton has started to become a rare commodity as far as availability is concerned.
Mutton forms an important part of the diet chart in Kashmir Valley. Ever since the administration fixed the retail price of mutton at Rs 535 per kilogram, there have hardly been any takers and mutton dealers used to sell it openly at Rs 650 per kilogram. The dealers have been alleging that rates fixed by the government are far from plausible given the fact that commodity come at higher price than fixed by the government.
Pertinently, the mutton dealers were selling it around Rs 500 but with the advent of covid-19 and shutdown forced by it, the prices went up and the dealers would sell it for Rs 600. However, as the government fixed the price at 535, mutton dealers started to charge Rs 650 per kilogram.
In the middle of it, the consumers are caught in the tussle of sorts and most people have no way to enforce what has been fixed even as they want mutton prices far lesser than what they are made to pay. The administration while fixing the price stated that representatives of the dealers were consulted. There are reports that the administration is entering into parleys with the mutton dealers to end the crisis of sorts. If the rates are revised, the administration must ensure that traders stick to them and not use the same to increase the rates as has remained the case in the past.