Mutton crisis in Kashmir: Weddings getting canceled due to shortage of mutton, what has Punjab to do with this? Answer will surprise you

Srinagar: Kashmir is facing a serious shortage of mutton during the busy wedding season, creating problems for families and traders across the Valley.

Traders say the shortage began due to a levy imposed by the Punjab government on trucks carrying sheep and goats through the state. According to them, transporters have to pay up to ₹25,000 per truck at the Punjab border, making transportation more expensive.

As a result, fewer trucks are reaching Kashmir with livestock, and many cattle markets have remained almost empty for the past several days.

The shortage has also pushed up mutton prices in Kashmir. The price of mutton has increased from around ₹700 per kilogram to nearly ₹800 per kilogram.

Families worry about wedding feasts

Many families in Kashmir are now worried about their wedding plans because mutton is an important part of traditional wedding meals.

Abdul Majeed Bhat, a resident of Hyderpora in Srinagar, said he is considering postponing his son’s wedding, scheduled for July 25.

“My son’s wedding is near, but we are not sure whether we will be able to arrange the wedding feast. If the shortage continues, we may have to delay the wedding,” he said.

Traditional Kashmiri weddings are known for Wazwan, a special feast prepared mainly with mutton and saffron. A normal wedding in Kashmir uses around 500 kilograms of mutton and 150 kilograms of chicken. Wealthy families often use even more.

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Kashmir has high demand for mutton

Kashmir is one of the biggest consumers of mutton in India. Around 90 percent of the population eats non-vegetarian food.

According to estimates, people in Kashmir consume more than 600 lakh kilograms of mutton every year.

A large part of the sheep and goats sold in Kashmir comes from states such as Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. On normal days, around 40 to 50 trucks carrying livestock enter Kashmir through Punjab. During the wedding season, the number rises to 60 to 70 trucks a day.

Traders say the Punjab levy has reduced these supplies, leading to the current shortage.

Traders fear heavy losses

Mutton dealers in Kashmir say they are suffering losses because they are unable to get livestock from suppliers.

Altaf Ganai, a mutton dealer from Budgam, said he has already paid suppliers in Rajasthan but has not received sheep for nearly a month.

He said that if the issue is not solved within the next two weeks, traders could face losses worth lakhs of rupees during the wedding season.

Khazir Mohammad Regu, President of the All Kashmir Wholesale and Retail Mutton Dealers Association, said there is no reason for Punjab to charge the levy because the animals are bought in Rajasthan and Delhi and only pass through Punjab on their way to Kashmir.

Traders are now asking the authorities to step in and resolve the issue before the wedding season reaches its peak.

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