Mahajan et al.

is in conformity with the result we found while comparing

which is depicted in the average MPCE tables may be

Table 4 and Table 5 where it was observed that MPCC of

linked to religious customs and food habits practiced

all types ofmeat is higher in rural sector than urban sector

across the states which is seen in case of pork and beef/

except fish. In rural area, the highest average MPCE in

carabeef which seem to be least preferred in the states of

food and meat is found in case of Nagaland which is about

Assam, Manipur and Tripura.

` . 827.77 and ` .164.35 per person per month, whereas,

The percentage distribution of MPCE on meat and fish in

the proportion of meat expenditure is highest in Tripura

the rural and urban areas of the region is given in Figure

followed by Nagaland and lowest in Sikkim with 21, 20

1 and Figure 2, respectively. The figure depicts that both

and 9 per cent respectively. In urban areas, Sikkim spend

in rural and urban areas, the maximum expenditure is on

more on food as compared to other states of the region,

fish followed by chicken and pork and lowest expenditure

and Tripura spend more on meat than other states with

on other types of meats. Rural areas seem to prefer beef

24 per cent of the average MPCE on food accounts to

and pork than the urban areas which may be explained by

meat expenditure. Again, urban Sikkim spends the least

the difference in prices as it is seen that in most cases pork

proportion on meat (11%) as compared to other states.

and beef are relatively costlier in urban areas. The liking

The average MPCE on different types of meat and fish

of chevon/mutton in urban areas may be as a result of the

across the rural areas of the region in 2009-10 is shown

influence of urbanisation. Fish is another product that is

in Table 7, with Tripura having highest expenditure on

preferred more in the urban areas as compared to the rural

fish/prawn, Sikkim on chevon/mutton, Nagaland on beef/

areas.

carabeef, pork and other meat, and Arunachal Pradesh

on chicken. The states that have least average MPCE

CONCLUSION

on different types of meat are Sikkim on fish/prawn and

other meat, Manipur on chevon/mutton and pork, and

Given the production, consumption pattern and demand-

Meghalaya on chicken. In all types of meat the average

supply gap of meat and fish in the NE region, it is a matter

MPCE of the rural areas of the region is much higher than

of concern to the policy makers and various stakeholders

the national average except in case of chevon/mutton.

to look into meat and fish sector in a holistic way. It is

particularly important to orient their export policies

In urban areas it is observed that all average MPCE on

as many of them are border-states and also, the surplus

different types of meat in the region is higher than the

meat can be marketed to nearby states having deficit

country’s average whereas, almost equivalent expenditure

production. The government of the meat-deficient states

is seen in chevon/mutton (Table 8).Across the urban areas

should push the production of the respective types of

of the NE states, the average MPCE on fish/prawn and

meat by providing incentives to livestock farmers so as

chicken is estimated to be highest in Tripura but it spends

to avoid loss to state exchequer while providing lucrative

lowest on beef/carabeef. Highest expenditure on chevon/

employment opportunities. Increasing meat production

mutton is seen in Sikkim, highest beef/carabeef and other

will create pressure on the feed sector. Thus, in order to

meat expenditure is in Nagaland, and Mizoram spend

avoid excess cost of production, local production of feed

highest on pork. Urban Manipur is observed to spend least

should be ensured. It will also open up opportunities to feed

on chevon/mutton, pork and chicken and lowest average

companies and generation of employment. Infrastructure

MPCE on fish/prawn and other meat is seen in Sikkim

development will also help to reduce the rural-urban

as compared to other states in the region. Overall, the

differentials, increase shelf-life and also it will improve

average MPCE on meat and fish ranges from ` . 74 to ` .

the processing of meat.

233 with the lowest in Manipur and highest in Tripura, and

the region average expenditure on total meat and fish is

much higher than the national average.

REFERENCES

If Table 4 and Table 5 are compared with Table 7 and

Cranfield, J.A.L., Hertel, T.W., Eales, J.S. and Preckel, P.V.

1998. Changes in the structure of global food demand. Staff

Table 8, respectively, it may be observed that highest and

Paper 98-05, GTAP Centre, Purdue University.

lowest of the corresponding tables are almost similar. The

Dastagiri, M.B., 2004. Demand and supply projections for

preference for different types of meat across the region

44

Journal of Animal Research: v.5 n.1. April 2015