African Swine Fever causes Rs 960 crore loss in Mizoram, over 71,000 pigs dead since 2021

Mizoram has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 960 crore due to the prolonged outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), which has killed more than 71,000 pigs in the state since 2021, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister C Lalsawivunga informed the Assembly on February 27.

Speaking in the House in Aizawl, the minister said the highly contagious viral disease has severely impacted the livestock sector, particularly pig farmers. Since the first outbreak was reported in March 2021, a total of 71,912 pigs have been lost, affecting 8,966 families across the state. Of these, 52,979 pigs were culled as a preventive measure to contain the spread of the disease.

Lalsawivunga further stated that during the current 2025–26 financial year alone, 9,711 pigs have died due to ASF, while 3,615 others were culled under disease-control protocols.

Highlighting a major policy intervention, the minister said that while Union government guidelines generally provide compensation only for culled animals, the Mizoram government took a proactive step by declaring ASF a “state-specific disaster” in 2024. The decision, taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Lalduhoma, was aimed at extending financial relief to farmers whose pigs died due to the disease.

Under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms, an ex gratia assistance of ₹4,000 is being provided for each pig that dies from ASF. The minister informed the House that compensation exceeding ₹30 crore has already been disbursed to affected farmers.

The persistent outbreak of ASF continues to pose a serious challenge to Mizoram’s rural economy, with the government focusing on containment measures, compensation and long-term strategies to support pig rearers and revive the livestock sector.