KOLKATA: The Enforcement Branch on Wednesday carried out raids at New Market following the reports of certain traders jacking up mutton prices in the run-up to Holi.
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Cops said the action was taken in the wake of repeated complaints from people against certain mutton traders spreading wrong information about Covid-19 and using it to increase the prices to over Rs 700.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reacted to the hike in mutton prices, stating that she would ask the enforcement branch to look into the issue.
“We acted after receiving several complaints from across different sections of the society. We had been to New Market. We will continue the raids in other markets too,” said DC (EB) Biswajit Ghosh.
The EB officers said they would also be visiting the bigger traders to ascertain if there is indeed any scarcity of mutton. “The jump has been phenomenal and coincides with the festive season. We will talk to chicken traders as well. All the factors — that have been cited for the price hike and most of which date back to November and December when severe winter in north India had led to a spurt in demand — will be verified,” said another officer.
Most goats come to Bengal via Patna from Purnea, Champaran and Ara. For chicken, the city mainly depends on Andhra Pradesh.
“We visited several shops in the city and found that while wholesale prices are between Rs 620 and Rs 640 per kg, the price hovers between Rs 660 and Rs 700 per kg in retail market. We found that the recent hike is a result of the combined factors of unusually high demand and short supply,” said Ghosh. The rumour that novel coronavirus is found in poultry refuses to die down, even though doctors have rubbished it.
Heart Care Foundation president K K Aggarwal said: “It is simply a rumour without any scientific basis.”
At most markets in the city, the price of mutton has gone up by Rs 50 to Rs 80 per kg in the last few days. Traders are unable to say when the prices will be normal, though most of them predicted that the same would continue even after Holi.
“There are now WhatsApp rumours about mutton too just like chicken. Otherwise, the price has hardly seen a slide,” a trader told EB officers.
Coronavirus outbreak live updates
Cops said the action was taken in the wake of repeated complaints from people against certain mutton traders spreading wrong information about Covid-19 and using it to increase the prices to over Rs 700.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reacted to the hike in mutton prices, stating that she would ask the enforcement branch to look into the issue.
“We acted after receiving several complaints from across different sections of the society. We had been to New Market. We will continue the raids in other markets too,” said DC (EB) Biswajit Ghosh.
The EB officers said they would also be visiting the bigger traders to ascertain if there is indeed any scarcity of mutton. “The jump has been phenomenal and coincides with the festive season. We will talk to chicken traders as well. All the factors — that have been cited for the price hike and most of which date back to November and December when severe winter in north India had led to a spurt in demand — will be verified,” said another officer.
Most goats come to Bengal via Patna from Purnea, Champaran and Ara. For chicken, the city mainly depends on Andhra Pradesh.
“We visited several shops in the city and found that while wholesale prices are between Rs 620 and Rs 640 per kg, the price hovers between Rs 660 and Rs 700 per kg in retail market. We found that the recent hike is a result of the combined factors of unusually high demand and short supply,” said Ghosh. The rumour that novel coronavirus is found in poultry refuses to die down, even though doctors have rubbished it.
Heart Care Foundation president K K Aggarwal said: “It is simply a rumour without any scientific basis.”
At most markets in the city, the price of mutton has gone up by Rs 50 to Rs 80 per kg in the last few days. Traders are unable to say when the prices will be normal, though most of them predicted that the same would continue even after Holi.
“There are now WhatsApp rumours about mutton too just like chicken. Otherwise, the price has hardly seen a slide,” a trader told EB officers.
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