Kerala beef prices rise to ₹450-500 as truckloads fall 75%
Beef prices in parts of Kerala have jumped from ₹300-350 to ₹450-500 per kilogram in just a month, thanks to major supply hiccups.
The state relies heavily on cattle brought in from Andhra Pradesh and beyond, but new delays with paperwork, illegal seizures, and extortion have cut weekly truckloads down by 75%.
With fewer cattle arriving, many beef stalls are closing their shutters.
Transport and exporters tighten Kerala supply
Transport problems in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka aren't helping, and more animals are being snapped up by exporters.
Farmers in Tamil Nadu are also raising fewer bulls now that machines do most farm work.
Kerala eats about 250,000 tons of beef every year, but current imports can't keep up, especially since cattle from Odisha are also not allowed to move freely via Andhra Pradesh to Kerala.
Traders say unless transport rules get sorted out soon (like the Supreme Court ordered back in 2018), prices could climb even higher.