The availability of meat in Lagos today has raised worries amongst the butchers and the people.
The number of cows slaughtered daily in Lagos State has significantly dropped from 5,000 to 3,000, the Lagos State Butchers Association has said.
The association’s patron, Alhaji Bamidele Kazeem, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
Kazeem said that the significant drop in the number of cows slaughtered daily in Lagos is due to the socio-economic challenges in the country.
He acknowledged that the development was in line with the happenings in the country, ranging from Boko Haram issue to a hike in the exchange rate.
“This reduction was due to numerous factors ranging from economic challenges to terror-related activities and environmental concerns,” he said.
Kazeem expressed concerns that there would be a further significant decline in the number of slaughtered cows with the current price of cows in the market.
Previously, we could purchase a cow for between N400,000 and N500,000, depending on the breed, size, and location, but we now pay between N1.6 million and N1.7 million for a cow,” he said.
He attributed the fall in the demand for beef to economic downturn, inflation, and increase in the cost of living.
Stating the adverse effect this will have in the distribution of meat in Lagos, Kazeem, therefore, urged the state government, butchers, and farmers to join hands to address the issue.
He said, “All hands must be on deck to address the issues to create a more sustainable industry,”.