Panaji, Jan 11 (TOI): After a four-day strike by traders, beef supply resumed at Goa's markets on Wednesday. However, even though the quantity brought into Goa was much less than usual, it evoked a poor response from consumers.
Traders said that on Wednesday, they faced no hurdles while transporting the red meat from Belagavi to Goa.

"There were police checks at the Goa-Karnataka border posts at Anmod and Keri," said president of Quraishi meat traders association of Goa, Manna Bepari. "They verified our documents and told the drivers to dial 100 and alert them if they are stopped by anyone else on the way. The police also said that if need be, they would also travel with us as a preventive measure."

About five tonnes of fresh beef was brought in for the Panaji and Mapusa markets. The South Goa market had to manage with six tonnes of cold meat that was brought in by cold meat traders. Goa requires between 20 to 25 tonnes of beef per day.

"We ordered only 50kg of beef to be on the safe side," said trader Hussain Khatib. "In the coming days, we will order up to 150kg at our store as business starts gaining momentum."

"We may also bring up to 15 tonnes of beef per day to meet the state's demand for fresh beef," said Bepari.

However, even after the resumption, there wasn't much response. "Our regular customers failed to show up at our shops to purchase beef," said one of the traders at the Panaji municipal market. "They were probably not aware that beef supply has resumed. Business was therefore slow."

TOI had earlier reported that members of an organization called Animal Welfare Board seized beef which was being transported from Belagavi to Goa. They then poured phenol on the beef and alleged that it was being "illegally transported".

Miffed at the selective 'activism', beef traders then declared a strike, which was lifted only after chief minister Manohar Parrikar assured them that legally-transported beef will not be stopped.