Shillong: Pig farmers in Meghalaya hit the streets Thursday to protest mounting losses from African Swine Fever. They marched from the Civil Hospital junction to Malki Ground. They brought their pigs along to make the point clear. The Hill Farmers Union organized the demonstration after repeated attempts to meet the Chief Minister failed.
Farmers initially joined the Piggery Mission for interest-free loans. The ASF outbreak changed everything. Thousands of animals died. Families are now broke but still owe the banks. HFU general secretary Alfonbirth Kharsyntiew stated, “Although the loans were interest-free, they still have to be repaid. Many pigs died following the outbreak of ASF and families are now struggling to repay the loans.”
The union wants a total loan waiver and financial aid for those who lost livestock. They also demand better border control. An August 10, 2023 directive required testing and quarantine for imported pigs. Kharsyntiew claims the group found zero functional checkpoints in Ri-Bhoi district. The lack of screening creates a massive disease risk.
Protesters also pushed for an end to illegal tax collection. They claim private individuals and police officers are shaking down farmers. The union also revived a decade-old demand for a comprehensive state agriculture policy. Over 1,200 families face ASF impacts so far. Farmers are currently gathering more data on the total losses to present to the government.
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