Aizawl, April 26 (NationPress) The African Swine Fever (ASF), which reemerged in Mizoram last month, has resulted in the demise of over 3,050 pigs across four out of the state's eleven districts, officials reported on Saturday.

An official from Mizoram's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (AHVD) indicated that the department has designated 46 localities in four districts as ASF-infected zones — Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, and Mamit.

All four affected districts share an unfenced border with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

According to AHVD officials, while the outbreak has influenced four districts, Siaha district has been particularly hard-hit, with the cumulative pig death toll in the district reaching 1,651.

Lawngtlai town, which borders both Myanmar and Bangladesh, has reported a total of 1,189 deaths thus far.

To mitigate the spread of the disease, AHVD teams have culled approximately 1,000 pigs across the four districts.

Although the surge in pig deaths noted earlier in the week appears to be slowing since Thursday, AHVD officials have described the situation as “very serious.”

Department officials noted that the ongoing hot weather and intermittent rainfall are conducive to the transmission of the ASF virus.

Senior officials from AHVD are actively monitoring the affected regions and implementing containment strategies, urging pig farmers and the public to stay vigilant.

Last year, Mizoram faced a financial loss of Rs 336.49 crore due to the ASF outbreak, which resulted in 15,000 pigs succumbing to the disease, while about 24,200 pigs were culled to prevent further spread.

The outbreak of this contagious disease began in mid-March 2021, leading to substantial losses for farmers and government farms.

In 2021, approximately 33,417 pigs and piglets died, and 12,568 were culled due to the disease. In 2022, at least 12,795 pigs and piglets died, and 11,686 were culled, while in 2023, 1,139 pigs and piglets died and 980 were culled.

The northeastern state, sharing an unfenced border with Myanmar (510 km) and Bangladesh (318 km), has accrued financial losses totaling Rs 896.69 crore due to the disease since 2021.

“Considering the deaths and culling of pigs and piglets due to the ASF outbreak, Mizoram has incurred losses of Rs 334.14 crore in 2021, Rs 210.32 crore in 2022, Rs 15.77 crore in 2023, and Rs 336.49 crore in 2024,” an AHVD official told IANS.

The government has provided compensation to several hundred families affected by the loss of pigs due to this highly communicable disease.

Though the ASF does not impact humans, it is a highly infectious disease among pigs and presents a serious threat due to its extremely high mortality rate.

Pork is a widely consumed meat among both tribals and non-tribals in the northeastern region.

Given the high demand for pork in the northeast, the annual market value is estimated to be between Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, with Assam being the primary supplier.