African Swine Fever Crisis (ASF)
Guwahati:(ASF)African Swine Fever. The Assam government has imposed an immediate and complete ban on the inter-district movement of live pigs across the state and prohibited the sale of pork in seven worst-affected districts, following an “alarming” surge in cases of African Swine Fever (ASF). This highly contagious and fatal viral disease, which has a nearly 100% mortality rate in swine, continues to severely impact the state’s vital piggery industry.
Key Restrictions and Affected Areas (ASF)
The stringent measures were enacted under the provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009.
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Inter-District Ban: The movement of live pigs across all district borders in Assam is banned until further notice.
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Seven Worst-Affected Districts:
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Pork Sale Ban: The sale of pork and pork products is prohibited.
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Intra-District Movement Ban: The movement of live pigs even within these districts is also banned.
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The districts are: Dhemaji, Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Darrang, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh.
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Alarming Surge and Disease Impact (ASF)
Officials from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department have reported a significant spike in ASF cases since January of this year.
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Outbreak Epicentres: A total of 297 (ASF) epicentres have been identified across nearly all districts of Assam so far this year.
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Recent Spike: A concerning 84 new epicentres were notified in October alone, highlighting the accelerating transmission rate.
Thousands of Pigs Culled
To contain the spread of the lethal disease, authorities have resorted to mass culling of infected and suspected animals.
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Culling Figures (2025): Approximately 14,500 pigs have been culled this year alone to prevent the virus’s spread. An additional 3,000 pigs have reportedly died from the disease.
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Long-Term Impact: The ASF outbreak, which was first detected in Assam in 2020, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of pigs since then, causing devastating economic losses to pig farmers across the state.
The government is also setting up “Infected Zones” (1 km radius) and “Surveillance Zones” (10 km radius) around new ASF epicentres to enforce strict biosecurity protocols, including the deep burial of carcasses and immediate euthanasia of infected animals.
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