A disruption in buffalo meat supply has significantly increased feeding costs at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoological Gardens, with tigers and lions now being served goat meat daily due to a licensing issue at the municipal slaughterhouse. Officials said the supply of buffalo meat has stopped following the non-renewal of licenses linked to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) slaughterhouse. As a result, zoo authorities have been compelled to procure goat meat—considerably more expensive—to meet the dietary needs of carnivorous animals.
The issue was discussed at a recent meeting convened by West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon at Aranya Bhavan with vendors supplying food to the zoo. This is reportedly the first time a Forest Minister has directly engaged with such suppliers.
Speaking after the meeting, the minister said suppliers were unable to slaughter buffaloes due to the pending renewal of municipal licenses. “In the absence of buffalo meat, an equivalent quantity of goat meat is being provided. We will hold discussions with the KMC to resolve the issue at the earliest,” he said, adding that there would be no compromise on the animals’ nutrition.
The shift has sharply escalated costs. According to tender data, the zoo requires around 51,000 kg of buffalo meat annually, priced at Rs 350 per kg for boneless meat and Rs 270 per kg with bones. An additional 2,800 kg of buffalo mince is required at Rs 285 per kg.
In contrast, the annual requirement for goat meat is much lower—around 980 kg—but the cost is significantly higher. Boneless goat meat is priced at Rs 728 per kg, while meat with bones costs Rs 695 per kg and mutton mince Rs 726 per kg, leading to a substantial increase in expenditure.
Sources said multiple agencies earlier supplied buffalo meat after slaughtering animals at the Tangra slaughterhouse. However, slaughter of buffaloes and cows at the facility has reportedly remained suspended since the Assembly elections. It is also alleged that the licenses of these agencies have not been renewed, though there has been no official clarity from the civic body on when the situation will be resolved.
Until then, zoo authorities have little option but to continue feeding goat meat to carnivores, ensuring their dietary requirements are met despite the rising costs.
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