Rinderschlachtung in Indien

This overview shows the percentage distribution of vegetarians (green) and non-vegetarians (red) in India. Meat-eating is particularly predominant in the north, east, and south of the country.
Cattle slaughter in India

The increasing consumption of meat in India

Meat consumption and production in India is steadily growing. The reason: more and more people are eating meat as a sign of prosperity . Even Hindus, who were originally considered vegan, are consuming more and more meat. Alongside growing prosperity, there is also increasing cultural diversity among the Indian population.

In addition to Hinduism and Buddhism, numerous other religions exist in India, including Christianity and Islam. India now has the third-largest Muslim population . These religions consume the meat of goats, buffalo, or cattle, which leads to fewer vegetarians in India than often assumed.
This graphic showing the distribution of meat consumption in India illustrates that meat consumption is more widespread in India than previously thought. The brighter the red, the higher the meat consumption!

Does cattle slaughter really take place in India?

India is now one of the largest beef producers in the world . By comparison, the EU produces around 8 million tonnes of beef each year. In India, the figure is 4.3 million tonnes. Beef is therefore not just consumed in India, but is now also produced on a large scale. Most of India's slaughterhouses are in the south (Chennai) and the north (Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata). 50% of the meat exported to Qatar and Saudi Arabia comes from these locations. Why? The animals are slaughtered according to precise regulations rooted in Islam. Only if the meat is "halal" is it eaten in predominantly Islamic places like Qatar.

Slaughtering: The meaning of halal meat

The slaughter of healthy animals is religiously based in Islam and Judaism . Both the Koran and the Torah prohibit the consumption of carrion and blood. According to religious beliefs, the soul is found in the blood. Based on this, there is a rule that the animal should lose as much blood as possible during slaughter and the subsequent processing of the meat.

There are also precise regulations regarding the slaughter process. During slaughter, the carotid arteries, jugular veins, trachea, and esophagus of the living animal are severed with a single incision, usually without prior stunning . Because the spinal cord remains uninjured, muscular activity continues, and most of the blood is pumped out of the body. If carried out correctly, the animal will die within a few seconds, as the animal's suffering is intended to be kept as minimal as possible during this slaughter process.

After slaughter, the dead animal undergoes further processing . In Jewish ritual slaughter, the meat is washed and salted, and then inspected. This involves checking the meat and its organs for health, looking for diseases, tumors, and irregularities that would render the meat unclean. Only after successful processing is the meat considered "kosher" in Judaism , or "halal" in Islam , and suitable for consumption.

Where do the animal hides we use for our Gusti Leather products come from?

PETA films show how cows are kidnapped and taken to Bangladesh, only to be returned to India as hides. This trade accounts for less than 15% of all cowhide in India. Instead, the hides are often produced and processed locally .

Increasingly, meat and hides are also being sent to India in a preserved (salted) state from the EU and South America . Meat production in the EU and South America is being promoted. Thus, a preserved hide can sometimes be even cheaper than one from India. Therefore, prices for hides on the rawhide market will most likely decline in the long term.

The method of slaughtering the animal always depends on the meat consumer . Meat produced in India, for example, is shipped to Qatar and is therefore largely halal. However, in southern India, where many Christians live, the meat is eaten just like in Europe and Germany. The import of preserved meat from Europe is therefore not uncommon.

Slaughter of animals

When slaughtering animals in Europe and South America, livestock are killed by blood extraction. In Germany, for example, only trained butchers are allowed to perform the slaughter in compliance with strict regulations. The animals may only be slaughtered after appropriate stunning , which deactivates higher brain functions.
There are various methods, such as the use of special slaughter shot devices (for animals with a strong skull), electrical stunning (for smaller farm animals) or the use of anesthetic inert gases.

This is intended to minimize the animals' pain . Despite compliance with regulations, there are still cases where animals are not adequately stunned for various reasons. After stunning, the animals are hung and then stabbed. The butcher cuts the blood vessels in the animals' necks. The animals die quickly due to the immediate loss of blood and the resulting lack of oxygen .

Gusti Leder against animal cruelty: Why we still work with animal hides

We at Gusti Leder condemn both slaughter and ritual slaughter equally, as both methods, despite all regulations, cause pain and fear to the animals. Meat consumption kills lives! We support both reducing meat consumption and completely abstaining from it. The increase in meat production and consumption in India is not a desirable development!

Why do we still want to work with animal hides? Our products are made from a waste product of the meat industry . Whether slaughtered in India or in the EU and imported to India, no animal is killed for its hide. If this were the case, a bag would cost €800, not €80. A cow weighs 800-1200 kg, of which 85% is meat and the rest is skin and bones. The sustainable processing of natural resources is something we can support.

In the production of our leather products, we utilize a byproduct of the meat industry that would otherwise be thrown away if not used. Our leather is therefore a 100% recycled product.