Transcript and Answers: Indian appetite grows for meat

It's barbecue time in Mumbai. India's booming middle-class is propelling a rise in eating meat, known here as "non veg". The country has a strong tradition of vegetarianism, held as an ideal by some of its religious groups. But as disposable incomes rise, scenes like this are becoming more common. 

"Earlier it used to be mainly at home; people would never trust eating non-vegetarian food outside their house." 

"Multi cuisines are coming down to India. Spanish is coming, French is coming. They serve very less vegetables, so to try a different cuisine you need to be open to eating non-veg and trying different global cuisines, if they want to try." 

In this affluent part of south Mumbai, many shops, restaurants and even apartment blocks remain meat-free. But even here, Cafe Ridge store does a brisk trade with carnivores, who often pick up new eating habits abroad. 

"Things like Thanksgiving, which was never celebrated over here in Mumbai is now being celebrated every year. Like we have people ordering for turkey, and yes, even for Christmas also we have some people even asking for goose, duck. So yes, things are changing." 

India's poultry industry is booming. Diverting grain, land and water to livestock has environmentalists worried. The country faces huge pressures as the population and meat demands grow. But for those in the business, rearing chickens makes sense. 

"You have self-employment, you require a small space. In a small space you can do a lot of business. See a farmer who has say half an acre of land, he can't make really any sort of money, but if he puts up a shed of say 2,000 square feet, 5,000 square feet, he makes much much more." 

While the meat keeps coming, the new generation's appetite shows no sign of shrinking. 

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