Taste of Life: No Competition Among Farmers to Sell Cured Meat Due to Religious Beliefs and Sentiments

In the late 19th century, meat curing in India was not just rare—it was largely avoided due to deep-rooted religious sentiments and cultural beliefs.

The British, while establishing agriculture departments and farms, made almost no effort to train farmers in curing meat, recognizing the significant religious and societal barriers.

An insightful booklet titled “Meat Curing in the Presidencies,” written in 1890 by an agriculturist residing in Poona (modern-day Pune), sheds light on this forgotten aspect of agricultural history.

The Influence of American Meat Curing Techniques

The author, an American who lived in India between 1872 and 1888, documented American methods of meat preservation such as cold smoking and salt curing.

In America, salted pork was a dietary staple, and farmers were encouraged to not only preserve but also sell meat.

This practice intertwined entrepreneurial skills with farming expertise, a concept the author envisioned for Indian farmers. However, the situation in India was starkly different.

Indian agricultural practices were closely tied to religion and caste. Cattle were revered as sacred or primarily utilized for milk and farming. Farmers rarely engaged in slaughtering or curing meat themselves, leaving such tasks to butchers.

Religious sentiments about purity and the sanctity of animals created barriers that made it difficult to adapt these American methods.

A Missed Opportunity for Meat Curing in Indian Agriculture

The booklet highlighted the financial potential of meat curing, citing examples like a European farmer in Manjri near Poona, who turned cured meats into a profitable business.

The process included brining, smoking, and packaging meats such as hams and bacon with high standards for marketability.

While the author argued that Indian farmers could similarly benefit, the cultural and religious restrictions ultimately prevented this practice from taking root.

Chinmay Damle, an enthusiast of food history and a researcher, notes that while colonial agricultural practices have been studied extensively, the American influence on Indian foodways remains underexplored.

Examining these interactions further enriches our understanding of how food habits evolved under colonial rule.

Discover how religious and cultural influences shaped meat curing in India. Visit our homepage for more insights on the evolution of meat preservation techniques.