Freakonomics - barbed wire, bricks and ....

Some portions of coastal Karnataka region have seen a sudden increase in the demand for barbed wires, bricks, cement etc. Why is this?

Let's know a little bit about this region---

The region is also communally sensitive. Communal violence is not uncommon, because of the substantial population of all major religions - Hindus, Christians and muslims. The region also borders the state of Kerala which is also a major trading destination of this region. BJP has captured majority of the seats in this region, thanks to the powerful trading community. Apart from trade, agriculture is a major occupation. Vast expanses of paddy and coconut fields are a pleasant sight to watch. People of the coastal portions of the state are traditional. Lot of Gods and temples are scattered around the region. The temple that stands out is of Lord Krishna in Udupi. Because of Krishna's love for cows, the region has lot of cows. Among the Hindus, its considered as a God like many other animals. This is the socio-econo-politico background of the region.

Back to the question - why an increase in demand for barbed wires, bricks and cement suddenly?

People have started constructing fences and compound walls around their paddy and coconut fields.

Why?

Not because of any danger of land sharks encroachments. But because of the fear of bulls. Bull attacks on the farm workers and owners are on the rise in the region. 2 of my relatives were injured in such attacks recently.

Why are bull attacks increasing?

The bulls are of no use, unlike their female counterparts - cows. Cows yield milk and via artificial insemination, can give birth to more cows. The bulls were traditionally either left free or sold to butchers who would send them across to Kerala where the demand for beef is high. Even the ones that were left free would have been taken by the butchers.

The ruling BJP has now become strict on cow slaughter ban. Trucks carrying cows to Kerala were seized. So the bulls are not killed. Many bulls are adopted by temples, but many more are free and on the run. These aggressive bulls are attacking humans and vehicles now. To protect themselves from these bulls on rampage, people are constructing fences and compounds around their lands.

Conclusion - the increase in demand for barbed wires can be attributed to the cow slaughter ban introduced by the BJP and enforced by local Hindu organizations.