Nagaland Govt reiterates ban on import of pigs from other states

Guwahati: Amid a massive boom in the number of African Swine Fever (ASF) cases across the Northeast over the past few months, Nagaland has banned the import of pigs from other states.

Abhijit Sinha, the Principal Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, said, "in view of the outbreak of African Swine Fever in the neighbouring states and in continuation to the notification of AHV/NPVCP59/2019 dated 28/04/2020 of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, it is hereby reiterated that there shall be a ban on import of pigs from other states into Nagaland."

Nagaland government had originally banned the import of pigs from outside the state following the 'high mortality' of pigs in the neighbouring states. Amid the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have reported unusual deaths of pigs recently, many of which were later confirmed as cases of the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF).

Following the directive of the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry & dairying, a notification was issued by chief secretary Temjen Toy on imposing a ban on import of pigs from outside the state with immediate effect. It informed that the ban was imposed following reports of the outbreak of 'African swine fever' and high mortality of pigs in the neighbouring states, where pigs were dying at an unprecedented rate.

Government sources believe that the infection could have possibly seeped into Assam from neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh -- and the virus had originally transferred from China, which had registered cases of the disease that is often deadly to pigs.

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