KARACHI: The prices of beef and mutton continue to rise despite increasing production of livestock and their meat.

A spike in meat prices ahead of Eidul Fitr has become something of a ritual as retailers cash in on soaring demand.

This year, the price on beef (veal) without bones in many areas, for example North Nazimabad, has gone up to Rs500 a kilogram from Rs480 a few days ago. Veal meat with bones is selling for Rs400 per kg compared to Rs380.

Similarly, mutton now costs Rs750 per kg as compared to Rs720 in North Nazimabad.

In Burnes Road and Tariq Road, mutton is now selling for Rs800 per kg compared to Rs750 a few days back. Veal beef with bones in the same area is available at Rs450 per kg compared to Rs420-430, whereas the price of boneless meat has risen to Rs550 from Rs520-530.

In 2013, the price of veal meat with bones was Rs320-350 per kg while boneless meat was selling for Rs440-450.

The price list issued by the city government is not followed in any of the 18 towns of Karachi. The government has fixed the rate of mutton at Rs550 per kg, veal meat with bones at Rs320 and veal meat without bones at Rs440. Retailers do put on display the official price list to avoid fines and arrest, but they charge customers at whim.

Retailers attribute rising meat prices to continuous increase in exports of animals, meat and its products in the last few years.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports of meat and its products increased 13 per cent to 72,436 tonnes fetching $253 million in July-May 2015-16 from 68,998 tonnes ($223m) a year ago. In 2014-15, the exports stood at 74,236 tonnes ($243m) compared to 73,664 tonnes ($230m) in 2013-14.

According to Economic Survey 2015-16, goat production reached 70.3m from 68.4m in 2014-15 while it was 66.6m in 2013-14.

Buffalo production rose to 36.6m in 2015-16 from 35.6m in 2014-15 and 34.6m in 2013-14, whereas cattle production was 42.8m, 41.2m and 39.7m, respectively.

Beef production hit 2m tonnes in 2015-16 compared to 1.95m tonnes in 2014-15 and 1.89m tonnes in 2013-14.

Mutton production went up to 686,000 tonnes in 2015-16 compared to 671,000 tonnes in 2014-15 and 657,000 tonnes in 2013-14.

According to the Economic Survey, the Animal Quarantine Department (AQD) during July-March 2015-16 issued 29,297 health certificates for the export of live animals, mutton, beef, eggs and other livestock products having value of $303.5m.

The AQD generated non-tax revenue of Rs117.2m during the nine-month period from certificate / laboratory examination fee of animals and their meat products exported during the year.

The livestock wing of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research also facilitated the export of red meat. A total of 46,242 tonnes of red meat were exported in July-March 2015-16 fetching $144.9m. This meat was exported from 31 private sector slaughterhouses.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2016