Hyderabad: According to a study, Telangana is the most meat-consuming state in the country. Meat consumption in the state has increased tremendously in the recent past. Eating habits of the people in the state are changing, where only 2-3 non-vegetarian meals were consumed by a person in a week. As the demand for goat meat is rising among the masses, the price of the meat per kilo has also increased from Rs.800 to Rs.1080.
Telangana has been recorded to have the highest number of people who consume meat in the country. In the last four years, 9.75 lakh tonnes of sheep and goat meat was produced and sold in the state. If calculated at an average of Rs.600 per kg, Rs.58,500 crores have been spent on meat consumption by the citizens of the state. A study by the National Research Centre on Meat has shown that, while a kilo of sheep and goat meat is currently available for Rs.600 in the international market, it is being sold for up to Rs.1000 in retail markets of the state.
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Telangana has the most number of sheep in the country with a count of more than 90 lakh crore. Due to the increasing demand for meat, it has been revealed that around 80 to 100 lorries filled with sheep and goats reach Telangana every day. The Telangana State Sheep & Goat Development Cooperative Federation Ltd have conducted a study on sheep breeding, their sales, and the increasing demand for meat in the state. A comprehensive report was submitted to the government on the growing demand for meat and the importance of sheep farming. According to this report:
- Production of sheep and goat meat in Telangana in 2015-16 was 1.35 lakh tonnes. Whereas, by 2020-21 it has increased to 3.03 lakh tonnes. It is estimated that more than 3.50 lakh tonnes will be sold in 2022. People will spend more than Rs.31 thousand crores on meat consumption. There are indications that the value of this meat market will reach Rs.35 thousand crores by the end of next year.
- In India, the per capita annual consumption of sheep and goat meat is only 5.4 kg, but Telangana has reached the highest level of 21.17 kg.
- The Federation has clarified that a new wealth of Rs.7920 crore has been cultivated due to the sheep distribution schemes.
- 82.74 lakh sheep were bought from other states and distributed to Golla and Kuruma communities, and 1.32 crore lambs were born to them. Through these, annual production has been increased by one lakh and eleven thousand tons of meat.
- Currently, meat traders from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh are purchasing sheep and goats from Telangana on Sundays.
- Chairman of the Federation, Dudimetla Balaraju told 'ETV Bharat' that the government approved a plan to distribute 73.50 lakh sheep to 3.50 lakh people belonging to the Golla and Kuruma communities at a cost of Rs.6125 crores in the second phase. He further stated that sales centres are going to be set up directly under the auspices of the federation to sell quality meat to the people.
