Confusion and misunderstanding over the concepts of Swine Flu (H1N1) and Classical Swine Fever hits industry hard
The North East Progressive Pig Farmers' Association (NEPPFA), an umbrella body of more than 500 commercial pig farmers, organised a press meet on 21st April last. The main motive behind the press meet was to clarify the misconceptions about the different types of diseases in pigs.
Manoj Kumar Basumatary, President of NEPPFA and Dr Dhireshwar Kalita, Principal Scientist, Assam Agricultural University, addressing the meet, cited the difference between Swine Flu (H1N1) and Classical Swine Fever, after many livestock died this year due to the seasonal fever prevalent among reared pigs. The same was misinformed amongst masses as the dreaded Swine Flu (H1N1).
While the H1N1 flu is a viral disease that attacks humans as well, the Classical Swine Fever, although viral, does not attack humans.
The latter is a regular seasonal flu occurring mostly during the spring season and pigs can be vaccinated from its infection.
The association further clarified that World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the H1N1 influenza event to have moved to a post pandemic period. The flu, which attacks human beings, cannot be contracted by consumption of pork products.
The press meet also discussed various guidelines to tackle the classical swine flu that had killed a large number of pigs in some districts of the state like Sivasagar, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Nagaon.
Pig farmers are advised to vaccinate their pigs and properly dispose-off the dead pigs by either burying them at minimum 3-4 feet depth underground or burning them.
Manoj Basumatary, speaking to G Plus said, “Many farmers were found to have disposed of the dead infected pigs in the rivers and other water bodies. This has helped in spreading the disease as the virus might have spread through air, from birds, etc.”
Further farmers are to follow proper biosecurity to avoid any outbreaks in farms and vaccine protocols like booster doses, cold chain, etc must be taken care of.
Appeal was made to facilitate ample availability of the vaccine and mass production of the same at the Khanapara Biological Centre. Vaccination camps must also be organised. Basumatary informed that memorandums had been submitted in this regard to the chief minister as well as the state agricultural minister.
Another major issue addressed was the non-availability of enough feeds. The government was asked to provide feeds like sapor, rice polish and broken rice for the farms. Wastages in FCI warehouses should also be made available to livestock farmers through public distribution system (PDI).
NEPPFA also asked the state government to address crucial issues like animal life insurance.
“As per the National Livestock Mission, farmers need to pay in around 20 percent of the premium amount and the rest of the amount is sent by the central government to the states. This scheme should be implemented across the state as very limited farmers have availed the benefit of the same. Crores of amounts are funded but it remains unutilized by the veterinary department,” he added.
Claiming pig farming is at a developing stage with huge potential the association pointed out that many educated youths from Assam and the nearby regions have taken it up on commercial basis.
Basumatary claims, “Although a neglected sector, the piggery farming can accommodate a lot of youth who will be returning to the state from various other places due to job crisis. It will prove to be a boon for the state economy as well.”
Currently Assam is not self-sufficient and has to import pork from outside the state to cater to its needs. With government intervention the state can even export pork as the industry is growing at a rapid pace.
Talking about the difficulties faced by the industry during the lockdown period, Manoj Basumatary said, “The government should also facilitate the selling and home delivery of pork like other non-veg items. The Tezpur administration has permitted us to do so but other districts haven’t done so as of yet.”
“The government must also help us with live animal transportation within the state as many small farmers are incurring losses due to the lockdown,” he added.
As per the 20th Census from 2012 to 2019, Assam has the largest number of pigs in the country. And the northeast region alone consumes around 4.26 lakh metric tonnes, which is 65 percent of the country's pork meat. The pork market of the northeastern region amounts to more than one billion US dollars.
