Meat Sellers Are On Strike In UP. Markets Run Out Of Fish, On-Coming Navratras May Bring Some Respite

Protesting against the crackdown on illegal and mechanised slaughter houses in Uttar Pradesh, meat sellers have gone on an indefinite strike in Lucknow. As residents and hotels struggled to meet their meat needs, fish emerged as the only recourse, leading to an unexpected hike in demand, and therefore, the prices. Non-vegetarians bemoaned the ban, which threw a spanner in their wedding menus and pre-Navaratra plans.

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Crowds surge at fish markets

As meat shops remained closed across Lucknow, fish markets received an unprecedented crowd of buyers. The regular buyers, Bengalis, were outnumbered at Kaiserbagh fish mandi and stock that lasts entire day ended by 3 PM. Despite 30-50% increase in prices, people bought all kinds of fish. Vendors were also seen teaching first timers how to cook fish.

Fish the only recourse to salvage menus

People from adjoining districts flocked to the fish markets in the city too. Most customers were those who had wedding or religious ceremonies scheduled for next week.

"The menu was planned in advance but things went awry after the meat sellers' strike. Though mutton and chicken is available in some districts, we are not getting it the quantity required, hence we decided to put fish on the menu," said Mohammad Faheem from Barabanki.

Fish gets dearer

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As the demand for fish went up by leaps and bounds following the strike, the prices have also surged. Hilsa, the beloved fish of Bengalis which was priced at Rs 1,000, has gone up to Rs 1,400 per kg. Prawns, which came at Rs 600 per kg only last Sunday, are now charged at Rs 1,200. Rohu, which cost Rs 250 till the previous week, is dearer by Rs 130, whereas Pomfret witnessed a 25 per cent rise in rates and is now sold at Rs 800 per kg.

Better prepared than hungry

Some people began stocking up on non-vegetarian staples as soon as they got to know about the strike by the butchers' association.

"I have stuffed my freezer with meat. On the very first day of the strike, I had bought two dozen packs of processed meat from the departmental store nearby," said Arjit Sinha, a businessman.

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College-goer Saurabh Shukla said, "I have requested one of my friends in the Army to bring me packed frozen meat from their canteen and I hope there is ample stock. It is so difficult to survive only on vegetables."

Strike spoils feast before the fast

The weekend coincided with the eve of Navaratra and the meat vendors' strike disappointed lakhs of non-vegetarians in the city, who had planned on bingeing on meat delicacies before the nine-day abstinence.

Most restaurants have stopped serving non-veg following scarcity of meat, while outlets of multi-national fast-food chains have seen a huge rush since the meat crisis in state.

Missing meat takes spice off weddings

The strike by the butchers' association has led to an acute shortage of meat. Since the strike coincides with the wedding season, many Muslim families will be forced to tone down their celebration.

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While most of the caterers have given in to the unavailability of buffalo meat and shortage of mutton and chicken and are refusing meat items, the top ones have just hiked their rates.

Navaratra to save blushes but till when?

Most small restaurant and hotels in Lucknow have stopped serving non-vegetarian dishes. Some have increased vegetarian items on the menu while others are making do with their reserved stock of meat. Their only consolation is that the upcoming Navaratra festival is a time when sale of nonvegetarian dishes goes down anyway.

Meanwhile, bigger hotels in the city are coping with reserved stock of meat. "But if the strike is not called off beyond Navratri, even five-star hotels would be in trouble," the head chef at one such place said.