African Swine Fever reaches Assam's Kaliabor, farmer loses livestock worth nearly Rs 20 lakh

African Swine Fever (ASF) has been reported from Assam's Kaliabor, leaving a local pig farmer with substantial financial losses after the disease wiped out his entire livestock.

The outbreak has devastated the pig farm of Lohit Saikia, a resident of Dalgan Borpeta Doloni in Kaliabor, who had established the venture with the aim of becoming self-reliant through commercial pig farming.

According to the farmer, around 80 pigs with an estimated market value of nearly Rs 20 lakh have died over the past 15 days after being infected with African Swine Fever. The remaining pigs, which were also suspected to have contracted the disease, were culled and buried in pits as a precautionary measure to prevent further transmission.

Saikia had started the pig farm after availing a bank loan of Rs 8 lakh. The complete loss of his livestock has left him facing severe financial hardship, with loan repayment emerging as an immediate concern.

The outbreak in Kaliabor adds to the growing spread of African Swine Fever in Assam, posing a serious challenge to pig farmers and the state's livestock sector. Authorities have undertaken culling and safe disposal measures in accordance with disease containment protocols to curb further spread of the infection.