Mutton price soars to Rs 700/kg as Govt steps back

Srinagar, Mar 11: In a significant market shift, Kashmir's mutton dealers have set new meat prices at Rs 700 per kilogram following the government's decision to end price regulations that had long controlled the local meat industry.

The Union Territory administration instructed the Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department in 2023 to withdraw from regulating mutton and other livestock product prices, effectively handing pricing power to the Mutton Dealers Union.

This dramatic policy reversal came after the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs clarified that the decades-old order S.O 145(E) from February 15, 1990—which had granted regulatory authority to the J&K government—is "no longer valid and applicable."

"Since deregulation, we've established a three-tier pricing system," announced Khazir Muhammad Rigoo of the All Kashmir Butchers Union. "Super Grade A mutton now costs Rs 700 per kilogram, standard Grade A is Rs 680, and mutton with offal is available at Rs 620 per kilogram, which includes 150 grams of offal."

Rigoo defended the new pricing structure by highlighting quality distinctions: "Super Grade A represents premium cuts typically reserved for weddings, sourced from young livestock weighing 13-15 kilograms. We've actually reduced Grade A pricing by Rs 20 per kilogram, while providing an affordable option with offal that's popular in rural communities."

The butchers' association maintains they've fulfilled their promise to prevent supply shortages following deregulation. However, consumers tell a different story.

"We're watching a predictable pattern unfold," said Farooq Mir, a visibly frustrated Srinagar resident. "When mutton was officially priced at Rs 650 per kilogram, butchers were already charging Rs 700. Now that Rs 700 is officially sanctioned, what's to stop them from charging Rs 750 or more? The government has abandoned consumers to market forces with no protection."

The price revision comes amid growing concerns about inflation in essential commodities across the region, with many households already struggling to manage rising food costs in their monthly budgets.