Srinagar, July 1 -- Mutton crisis has hit Kashmir's food industry, with several restaurants and hotels scaling down non-vegetarian offerings.

Jammu and Kashmir is staring at a major mutton shortage after wholesale mutton dealers launched an indefinite strike and retail meat sellers suspended sales to protest the alleged imposition of hefty unauthorised charges on livestock-carrying vehicles transiting through Punjab.

Kashmir Mutton Dealers Association (KMDA) has suspended the import of sheep and goats into the Union Territory from markets outside Jammu and Kashmir, triggering concerns among consumers, traders and restaurant owners alike.

The association alleges that traders transporting livestock from Delhi, Haryana, Ambala, Rajasthan ...