MULTAN: Punjab government is contemplating to link prices of beef and mutton to its quality. The step is being taken to offer handsome return to cattle rearers and ensure supply of healthy meat to citizens, said Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company (PAMCO) Chairman and noted progressive farmer Mumtaz Ahmed Khan Manais while talking to APP here on Sunday.
The PAMCO Chairman stated that prices linked with quality of meat would encourage cattle rearers to pay more focus on nutrition of animals. Similarly, it would also help promote sale of healthy meat in province. Although, government is trying its best to ensure sale of quality meat but the new idea would surely help improve sale of quality meat.
He informed that beef meat was being sold at Rs 260 to Rs 285 per kilogramme in province. However, the same meat was imported from Canada at high price of about Rs 5000 per kilogramme.
To a query about huge difference of prices, Mumtaz Manais informed that it was due difference of quality.
He quoted Dr Javed Akram of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Medical Sciences, who said that nearly 60 to 70 percent diseases among our citizens were due to unhealthy meat.
To another query about characteristics of quality meat, the Chairman PAMCO said that the meat should have Ph 5.3 value, particular subcutaneous fats or intramuscular fat level, lengthy ribs, red colour and many others technical things.
Responding to a question that how a common man can judge about quality or healthy meat, he informed that the meat should not have white, black or yellow shade. Similarly, smell, firmness, flavour during cooking also determine quality.
He hailed Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for constructing huge slaughter house in Lahore which have capacity for slaughtering of 1500 big animals and 18,000 small animals per day.
He stressed the need to pay more focus on livestock sector. He said that one of our neighbouring country was at top in terms of meat export. It had exported meat worth Rs four billion dollars, he said and added “we can also get handsome share in export by paying attention to livestock sector.”
