Kolkata: Mutton prices in Kolkata have climbed to Rs 1,100-1,200 per kg at several meat shops across the city following a fresh spike in wholesale livestock prices that traders attribute to a wide demand-supply gap.Retailers across the city said they were forced to increase prices by Rs 100-Rs 200 per kg over the past few weeks as the cost of procuring goats from wholesale markets has risen sharply. The latest increase comes after mutton prices already crossed the Rs 1,000-per-kg mark in March, reflecting a steady upward trend in retail rates this year.According to traders, supplies began tightening after Eid-uz-Zuha in the last week of May. They attributed the shortage to renewed enforcement of cattle slaughter regulations ahead of the festival, following a govt notification reiterating provisions of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act and related court orders. The restrictions prompted many buyers to shift to goats for sacrifice, sharply increasing demand. Wedding season over the past few weeks further fuelled demand, pushing up wholesale prices.The impact is now visible across Kolkata, with retailers revising prices across neighbourhoods. “There has been a shortage of goats in the wholesale market for the past few weeks, forcing us to increase our prices,” said Noor Alam.At another Meat Shop on Rajdanga Main Road, the retail price has touched Rs 1,200 per kg. “By the middle of June, when the shortage persisted, we had no option but to raise prices,” said owner, Mohammad Jahangir. A meat supplier in Phoolbagan has also revised its retail price to Rs 1,100 per kg. “We know it is a little heavy on the pocket, but we are trying to provide the best quality to our customers,” said owner Hafiz Ahmed. At a shop in college street, the price has increased from Rs 900 per kg to Rs 1,000 per kg. “It is inconvenient for our customers, but we are helpless. The wholesale price is very high,” said its owner, A Mukherjee.Wholesalers in Narkeldanga said supplies have remained inconsistent since the first week of June despite efforts to source animals from Rajasthan and Haryana. Around 1,200-1,400 goats are sold every weekend to meet demand from Kolkata and its suburbs, but traders said arrivals continue to fall short.Customers, meanwhile, are feeling the pinch. “If prices continue to rise, we might have to reserve mutton for special occasions and shift to chicken on Sundays,” said Sagnik Ghosh, a resident of New Town.
