A ₹15,000-cr industry, its 25L employees, stare at uncertainty
NEW DELHI: The BJP’s election manifesto promised to shut down all illegal slaughterhouses and place curbs on all mechanical abattoirs in Uttar Pradesh.
The manifesto said the concerns were about the state’s livestock that suffered during the previous dispensations. Though cow slaughter is banned in UP, there is no curb on killing buffaloes. Here’s a look at the state’s abattoirs and what drives the business:
What does it take to start an abattoir?
An applicant can submit his proposal to the industries department after procuring land for the unit. It is then sent to the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), which forwards it to the district magistrate (DM) concerned for clearance. A panel formed by the DM visits the project site and examines it on various parameters, law and order being an important factor.
After the administration’s nod, the proposal is sent back to the UPPCB for a no-objection certificate (NOC). A team of UPPCB officials also visits the project site to ensure it conforms to air, water and other environmental pollution norms.
The plant owner then moves an application before the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Union government’s regulatory body that monitors exports of all products.
Before granting approval, the APEDA carries out its own inspection of meat products, processing plants, storage and conveyance facilities.
How many slaughterhouses are there in UP?
Of the 72 government-approved abattoirs across the country, 38 are in UP. These include four government-run units, of which only two — Agra and Saharanpur — are functional. The other two are proposed in Lucknow and Bareilly. A minimum of 10 acres is needed to set up an integrated meat processing plant (IMPP) at a cost of ₹40-₹50 crore.
Why do illegal slaughterhouses flourish?
Most of the 38 slaughterhouses in UP cater to exports. Buffalo meat from India has a good demand in Gulf countries because of its low cost and the assurance of it being halal (slaughtered as per Islamic rituals). As a result, the local demands are met by illegal or standalone slaughterhouses.
How are buffaloes procured?
Each abattoir slaughters between 300 and 3,000 livestock daily, depending on capacity and permission. Slaughterhouses procure buffaloes, sheep and goat that become ‘spent’ for their owners/farmers from traders at the regional weekly ‘mandis’. Most livestock owners are Hindus. A buffalo costs roughly about ₹20,000.
The slaughterhouses in UP have permission to kill a bullock that is over 15 years old or is unfit for agriculture.
How big is the industry?
According to the All India Meat and Livestock Exporters’ Association (AIMLEA) , the country’s annual meat exports fetch ₹27,000 crore, of which ₹15,000 crore is contributed by UP alone. Accounting for nearly 50%of India’s total meat exports, UP is the market leader, employing more than 25 lakh people directly or indirectly.
While there are no official estimates of the illegal slaughter business, roughly 140 slaughterhouses and over 50,000 meat shops run without permission.
As per an APEDA report, UP is the highest producer of meat with 19.1% share, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 15.2% and West Bengal at 10.9%.
According to data from the state’s animal husbandry department, from 2008-09 to 2014-15, the state produced 7,515.14 lakh kg of buffalo meat, 1,171.65 lakh kg of goat meat and 230.99 lakh kg of sheep meat.
How does the Centre support the industry?
The Centre encourages the meat industry by providing subsidy of up to 50% of the cost of setting up a unit.
How will a ban on slaughterhouses affect the industry?
AIMLEA says a ban on meat exports would mean a loss of at least ₹11,350 crore of revenue for UP alone. And if it persists for the next five years, then the revenue loss could mount to ₹56,000 crore.