The government on Tuesday asked the central agency which gives permission to export buffalo meat to set up labs at all ports used to export beef in order to ensure that only buffalo and not cow meat is sent out, reported The Times of India.

The move comes in the wake of reports of illegal export of beef from India- while exporting buffalo meat from the country is legal, sending out cow meat is not.

This decision was taken in a review meeting with officials from the department of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an agency which monitors export and provides licence to exporters.

The labs will test the consignments that reach the ports and make sure that only buffalo meat is exported.

“APEDA officials said there is no illegal export of cow meat as production and export are strictly monitored through a software called `Meat Net' (that keep an eye on movement of meat to designated ports while monitoring its weight). However, it has been decided to set up labs at ports to check illegal export of cow meat," Minister of state for agriculture Sanjeev Balya is quoted a saying by TOI.

The Mumbai port is where the bulk of the buffalo meat export from the country is carried out from. The report further states that, "Buffalo meat exports are undertaken by 49 APEDA registered slaughter houses, of which 20 are in Uttar Pradesh."