Guwahati: Pork Prices To Shoot Up From Feb 1 After New Slaughter Rules

Pig meat retailers in Guwahati were dealt a difficult hand after new guidelines allowing pork slaughtering only at government-authorized pork slaughterhouses. The move, which comes into effect from February 1, is expected to drive up prices.

According to the guidelines, starting February 1, all pork retailers will have to get their pigs slaughtered at Guwahati’s Panjabari-located Assam Livestock And Poultry Corporation (ALPCo) authorised slaughterhouse. They will be charged Rs 1,200 per pig slaughtered there.

Apart from shooting up prices of pork in local markets, the decision is also expected to hamper indigenous youths from selling pork, driving them out of business.

A retailer highlighted the problems facing them saying their margin against every pig sold was already very low. “I have been running my business here for the last 15 years. My supplies come from Chhaygaon currently. They have told us to stop our practices,” he said following a meeting between the retail pork traders’ association and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation.

“The prices will go up. However, this will affect the entire business in Guwahati. We do not even make a profit of Rs 1,000 on every pig sold. We have to pay Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for transportation, and now we will have to pay Rs 1,200 here. This will ruin the business,” he added.

They also pointed towards the unhygienic conditions of the slaughterhouse with several infected pigs lying there. “The infections might spread to our pigs which will then affect customers,” they said.

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