Satier Pig Breeding Center in Mokokchung still recovering from ‘other pandemic’

Limasenla Jamir 
Mokokchung | June 30

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Government of Nagaland announced the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) affecting piggery farms in Nagaland in the month of April 2021. At that point, the fever had already begun to impact pig farmers in Mokokchung Pig Breeding Centre in Satier sector, Aliba village, and they were doing everything they could to protect the animals.

They tried getting the ASF vaccination after the flu was confirmed, but were disappointed to learn that it was not yet available in India. By the end of April, the illness had spread throughout the entire area, and by August 2021, all the pigs in the centre had died.

A farmer, Lanukaba Imchen, claims that 643 pigs, including 125 sows, 69 gilts, 445 piglets, and seven boars that belonged to 17 pig farmers, died in 2021. Nangshi, a pig farmer, claimed that when the pandemic struck, they did everything possible to protect the pigs, even going so far as to give them saline. “We did what the veterinary doctors instructed, keeping the pig sty free of dirt, flies and mosquitoes. We also followed the directives to sanitize and maintain good hygiene. We followed all instructions, yet nothing was successful,” claimed Nangshi. 

“One of the biggest problems when pigs die is the burial process,” he claimed. “When more than sixty pigs pass away, you must find space to bury them and transport them there. You cannot simply throw them away anywhere, and as everyone else's pig is also dying, we are left to bury them on our own because we are unable to assist one another.

Another thing is that nothing grows well in the land where we bury the pigs, so it becomes a wasteland,” he stated.

In addition to the physical hardships they face, Limala, another pig farmer, bemoaned the mental and emotional stress they experience when their pigs become ill. “We become anxious and restless when our pigs are ill. It seems as though our own kids are getting sick. It takes a toll on our physical health too as a result of caring for ill piglets and pigs. This can only be understood by someone who rears pigs,” she remarked.

“No one really cares because it's only a sick animal, after all, not your blood or kin. You go through the process alone and suffer alone,” she said.

Purtoshi, another pig farmer, went on to state tha the ASF pandemic has hit them the hardest suffering a loss of lakh of rupees. “We established our farms by obtaining bank loans. Whether our pigs are alive or dead, the bank couldn't care less. No matter what, we have to pay the loan interest, he continued. “Just as our farms were improving and our pig industry was growing, the pandemic struck. We had hoped to pay off our loans in a few years, but alas!” he lamented.

“I now understand why farmers commit suicide,” said Nangshi. “We have lost all hopes. We invested everything in our piggery farm and we were slowly paying off our loans through the returns but now, we have nothing. Sometimes it is very disheartening and depressing, but we are not like those weak-willed farmers who kill themselves. We will find ways,” he said.

“We are slowly buying piglets and putting them in the farms. With all the boars dead, there are no active breeders in the centre and we do not want to take the risk of bringing boars from another area due to fear of the flu. We have heard of the success of Artificial Insemination (AI) in swine in other districts in Nagaland but it has not reached Mokokchung district yet. Perhaps, if AI is introduced, it will help solve the problem of finding active breeders,” Nangshi observed.

Over the past two years, farmers in Satier village have witnessed hundreds of pigs due to the ASF yet they have received any compensation. “We are among the few pig breeding centre in Mokokchung district yet our problems are unheard and many times neglected,” said Lanukaba Imchen. 

Similar cases of struggles and losses faced due to ASF and other flu in swine is rampant in almost all villages in Mokokchung district and in Nagaland and it is taking a toll on the economic and social condition of the farmers. “We were asked to give our names to receive compensation for our losses some months back but we still haven’t received any news. We don't know if we will ever receive compensation, but in the event that we do, we hope we receive the whole amount we are entitled to otherwise, the departments/agencies in Nagaland typically withhold more than half of what we are due,” commented Nangshi.