• NET Web Desk

Mizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS) Minister Dr K Beichhua told the assembly on Monday that 33,417 pigs died across the northeastern state in 2021 due to the outbreak of the extremely contagious African Swine Fever (ASF).

In response to a question from V.L Zaithanzama of the opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), Beichhua said that in addition to those killed by ASF, a total of 10,910 pigs have been culled to prevent further spread of the disease.

According to Beichhua, the monetary losses incurred on dead pigs are projected to be more than Rs 60.82 crore.

The state government has requested compensation from the Centre for the killed pigs, while the state disaster management and reconstruction department has requested compensation of Rs 3,000 per dead pigs.

The outbreak, according to the minister, is currently under control and contained.

Since December 2021, he claimed, no pig deaths linked to ASF have been reported. On February 1, Beichhuah told the legislature that the state government had abolished an import ban on pigs from ASF-free states.

The imported pigs, however, must be accompanied by a health certificate and a Common Swine Fever (CSF) vaccine certificate, further informed the state Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister.

Between August 2020 and January 2022, Mizoram banned the import of pigs from other states and neighbouring foreign nations for around 17 months.

On March 21, last year, the first epidemic of ASF, thought to be caused by pigs smuggled from Bangladesh, was detected at Lungsen village in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, adjacent to the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal later determined that the pig deaths were caused by ASF in mid-April.