Aizawl, Dec 13
Over 15,000 pigs were killed and over 24,200 pigs culled as the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) continued in Mizoram since February 9 this year, officials said on Friday.
A senior official of the Mizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary (AHV) Department said that after weeks of declining fatalities due to the infectious African Swine Fever (ASF), the northeastern state witnessed a sharp increase in pig deaths and culling this week. According to the official, the deaths of pigs recently occurred in two districts – Kolasib district along Assam and Lunglei district bordering Bangladesh.
The AHV Department official stated that although the ratio of pig deaths due to ASF and culling had reduced after the summer season was over, the outbreak of the infectious disease continues unabated in many districts. Referring to unofficial estimates, the official reported that pig farmers and rearers in seven of the 11 districts in the mountainous bordering state have suffered huge losses due to the outbreak of this communicable disease since February this year.
The pigs, both in government and private farms and homes, in around 260 villages across seven districts — Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib, Lunglei, Saitual, Khawzawl, and Serchhip — have been infected by the ASF outbreak so far. The veterinary department has declared these 260 villages as infected. To prevent the spread of the ASF virus, the department has barred the supply of pigs, piglets, and pork from the infected areas. Additionally, the state government has banned the import of pigs and piglets from neighboring states and countries where ASF infestations are often reported.
Officials noted that the outbreak of ASF mostly occurs when the climate begins to warm up and pre-monsoon rains commence in the state. However, this year, the outbreak continued even after the winter season began. The ASF outbreak has caused significant losses to farmers and government farms since mid-March 2021. The AHV officials mentioned that this year's first ASF case was reported on February 9 in Leithum village in Champhai district, which shares unfenced borders with Myanmar.
In 2021, 33,420 pigs and piglets died due to the contagious disease, while 12,800 pigs and piglets died in 2022 and 1,040 in 2023. Mizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister C Lalsawivunga recently stated in the state assembly that pig farmers of the state incurred a loss of nearly Rs 800 crore following the ASF outbreak in 2021. After the outbreak of ASF, the AHV department, following central guidelines, declared various villages and localities in seven districts in Mizoram as infected areas under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009.
The government has provided compensation to several hundred families for their loss of pigs due to the disease. Although ASF does not affect humans, it is a highly infectious disease among pigs and poses a severe threat with a very high mortality rate. According to experts, the outbreak of ASF may have been caused by pigs or pork brought from neighboring Myanmar, Bangladesh, and adjoining states of the northeast. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long unfenced border with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh.
Pork is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by both tribals and non-tribals in the northeastern region. With heavy demand for pork in the region, its annual business is worth around Rs 8,000-10,000 crore in the northeast region, with Assam being the largest supplier.