Daijiworld Media Network – Aizwal

Aizawl, Mar 29: A new outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) has struck Mizoram, leading to the deaths of over 510 pigs in just two weeks, officials confirmed on Saturday. The highly contagious disease has spread across 13 villages and localities in Lawngtlai and Mamit districts, prompting urgent containment measures.

Teams from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (AHVD) have already culled around 100 pigs and piglets in an effort to prevent further transmission. The fresh outbreak was confirmed on March 20 after testing at the Northeast Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NERDDL) in Guwahati.

The outbreak initially surfaced in Lawngtlai district, which shares an unfenced international border with Myanmar and Bangladesh. The infection then spread to Mamit district, which borders Tripura and Bangladesh. Authorities are now closely monitoring the situation to contain the disease and prevent further losses.

Mizoram has suffered severe financial setbacks due to recurring ASF outbreaks. In 2023 alone, the disease killed over 1,100 pigs, while nearly 1,000 were culled. The previous year, in 2022, ASF claimed 12,795 pigs, leading to 11,686 cullings. The worst outbreak occurred in 2021, when the state lost 33,417 pigs and was forced to cull 12,568 more, causing a financial loss of Rs 334.14 crore.

The first ASF case of 2024 was detected on February 9 in Leithum village, Champhai district, which also shares an unfenced border with Myanmar. Since its initial outbreak in March 2021, the disease has devastated local pig farming, with financial losses totaling Rs 896.69 crore.

ASF does not pose a threat to humans, but its high mortality rate among pigs makes it one of the most destructive diseases for livestock. Experts suggest that the outbreak may have been triggered by infected pigs or pork transported from Myanmar, Bangladesh, or neighboring northeastern states.

Pork is a staple meat for both tribal and non-tribal communities in the Northeast, making the regional pork industry worth Rs 8,000-10,000 crore annually. With Assam being the region’s largest supplier, any disruption due to ASF threatens both farmers' livelihoods and the local economy.

The Mizoram government continues to compensate affected farmers while intensifying efforts to curb further outbreaks and protect one of the region’s most vital industries.