GUWAHATI, July 23 - As many as 17,118 pigs died so far due to African swine fever (ASF) in 422 villages of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Majuli, Golaghat, Nagaon, Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Sonitpur districts.
Veterinary Minister Atul Bora revealed the data while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.
According to him, around 20,000 pig rearing families have been affected due to ASF outbreak and caused financial loss of around Rs 30,000 per family. So, the total loss caused by this disease will be around Rs 60 crore. In such a situation, the Veterinary department has sought rehabilitation package under the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project.
Meanwhile, the department also pointed out that there is a huge gap between payment of compensation amount and repopulation and every pig farmer incurred a loss of at least Rs 15,000 against an infected pig.
In such a difficult time, a recent order issued by the Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal, Husbandry and Dairy, allowing pig farmers of Punjab and Haryana to export pigs to the northeastern states, has drawn flak from the pig farmers� community in Assam.
The local pig farmers stated that such step will cause long-term affect in the market as the local pig farmers are already reeling under utmost distress caused by the AFS.
Implementation of such steps will also allow outsiders to capture the local markets.
Meanwhile, Bora stated that he has already written to Union Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Giriraj Singh in connection with the matter and urged him to immediately withdraw the communication.
