Swine fever: Kerala mulls buying pigs from farmers to fight crisis in marketing of pork

The Kerala government on Thursday said it was considering procuring pigs from farmers in view of the crisis in marketing and consumption of pork after African swine fever was detected in two districts of the south Indian State.

The procurement plan would be on the lines of the one on the purchase of rice that is bought and stored in the wake of a crisis related to the essential commodity. This announcement by State Minister for Animal husbandry and Dairy Development J Chinchurani was made while distributing compensation to farmers in the two districts of Wayanad and Kannur where nearly 1,000 pigs were culled to prevent the spread of the disease.

According to statements issued by the two districts, the Minister said the scheme is being planned by Meats Products of India at central rates. The pigs would be bought based on the certificate issued by veterinary doctors regarding the health status of the animals, the release quoted her as saying. The Minister further said the plan has been discussed with Kerala Bank and various co-operative banks as well as the State Minister of Co-operatives V N Vasavan. While implementing the project, priority to Wayanad and Kannur would be given, she said.

The scheme was being prepared at a time when the pig-rearers were looking forward to Onam (harvest festival of Kerala) with anticipation. Wayanad district officials said two pigs have been found to have died unnaturally on a private farm and their samples have been collected and sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, for testing.

As many as 702 pigs in Wayanad and 247 in Kannur had been culled in the last two weeks. As part of this, strict instructions have been given to prevent the bringing of pigs and pork from other States. In July, Kerala tightened bio-security measures after an alert from the Centre that African swine fever had been reported in Bihar and a few northeastern States.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), African swine fever is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease of domestic pigs. It was first detected in Kenya, East Africa, in 1921 as a disease that killed settlers' pigs. Contact with warthogs was proven to be an important factor in the transmission of the virus.