Shillong: African Swine Fever is tearing through Meghalaya. Livestock farmers face mounting debts and lost livelihoods as the disease wipes out entire herds. Many farmers took out loans from banks, financial institutions, and private lenders to grow their businesses. Now, they cannot pay those debts.
One veteran farmer with 30 years of experience reported the worst outbreak in her career. She said, "Never in these 30 years has any disease wiped out the pigs in my farm like this time." The deaths cover breeding stock and piglets. Costs for feed and shed maintenance continue despite the empty pens. She suspects the virus arrived via pork or pigs imported from outside the state.
Another farmer who has worked the trade for 25 years lost his entire stock. He remains saddled with bank and private debt. Families now struggle to cover basic household bills. Some parents fear they must pull their children out of school and college. Pig manure is also vital for local potato crops, creating a ripple effect in the farming sector.
Hills Farmers’ Union general secretary Allfondbirth Kharsyntiew says the situation is dire. The union is pushing for a piggery mission loan relief package to help farmers cover food and education costs. Kharsyntiew noted that women are under intense pressure to repay loans to relatives and lenders. He urged MLAs and MDCs to demand loan restructuring or waivers. Without intervention, many families will lose everything.
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