Northeast Desk, 14th September: The Mizoram government has appealed to the Centre for financial assistance to support pig farmers affected by the ongoing African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in the state. The appeal was made by Mizoram’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister, C. Lalsawivunga, during a meeting of ministers in Odisha.
The minister highlighted the devastating impact of ASF on the state’s pig farming industry, stating that the outbreak has caused severe financial hardship for farmers. Lalsawivunga urged the central government to compensate pig farmers for their losses and also called for the production or import of vaccines to curb the outbreak.
Since the ASF outbreak began in March 2021, more than 57,000 pigs have died, and over 43,000 others have been culled across the state, resulting in an estimated financial loss of nearly Rs 800 crore. In the previous fiscal years (2021-22 and 2022-23), the Centre provided Rs 7 crore in compensation to affected farmers. Mizoram has now sought an additional Rs 74.7 lakh in aid for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which has been approved by the National Steering Committee.
The ASF outbreak was first detected in Lungsen village, near the Bangladesh border, and is believed to have been triggered by the illegal import of pigs from the neighboring country. Currently, 234 villages across five districts, including Aizawl, are grappling with the outbreak, according to a bulletin from the state animal husbandry and veterinary department.
The state government continues to press the Centre for further financial support and measures to mitigate the crisis.
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