Mizoram in crisis: over 39,200 pigs slaughtered as African swine fever strikes

Aizawl (The Uttam Hindu): 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 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 said that though the ratio of pig deaths due to ASF and culling has reduced after the summer season was over, the outbreak of the infectious disease continues unabated in many districts. The official referring to the unofficial estimates said 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 in seven districts -- Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib, Lunglei, Saitual, Khawzawl and Serchhip -- have been infected by the ASF outbreak so far. The official said that the 260 villages were declared infected by the veterinary department. To prevent the spread of the ASF virus, the department has barred the supply of pigs, piglets and pork from the infected areas. The state government also banned the import of pigs and piglets from neighbouring states and countries where often ASF infestations are being reported. Officials said that the outbreak of ASF mostly occurs when the climate begins to warm up and pre-monsoon rain commences in the state. mHowever, this year the outbreak continued even after the winter season began. The ASF outbreak caused huge losses to the farmers and government farms since mid-March 2021, the AHV officials said, adding 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 said in the state assembly that the pig farmers of the state incurred a loss of nearly Rs 800 crore following the outbreak of ASF in the state in 2021. After the outbreak of ASF, the AHV department following the central guidelines has 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 the loss of pigs due to the disease.

The ASF which however does not affect humans, 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 neighbouring Myanmar, Bangladesh and the 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 the 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.