A large number of domesticated pigs have died in different districts of Manipur and many others are reported to be sick. Officials, who do not want to be identified, said there was panic in pig farms, which are facing huge losses. One woman farmer with 100 pigs at her privately owned farm in a border district said that all the pigs in her farm had died over the past few days.
Piggery owners said that the government had not done enough to fight the spread of African swine fever. However H. Chaoba, Director of the State’s Veterinary and Animal Services, denied it.
The latest report of African swine fever comes from the Senapati district bordering Nagaland. Officials said that tribal villagers had reported some pigs as already dead. Dr. Sunny Pao, District Veterinary Officer, said that pigs brought from other Northeastern States and Myanmar might have caused the outbreak of swine fever.
Dr. Pao further said that the swine fever vaccine had already been rushed to the district and a massive vaccination drive for pigs will begin soon.
The district authority is banning the import of pigs from Myanmar and other Northeastern States till the situation is brought under control. In the past, there have been numerous deaths of pigs attributed to a large number of pigs brought from Assam through Dimapur in Nagaland.
Pig farmers are already incurring staggering losses. Most people are not buying pork. Eateries have stopped serving pork curry and other Manipuri delicacies. Some butchers have tried to lure customers by slashing the price of pork by ₹100 a kg. Some butchers with flourishing businesses in Manipur said that despite the slashed price, the number of customers was few and far between.
A report from the border town of Moreh said that smuggling of pork and pigs from across the international border had been checked. The border was sealed from April this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19.