Pork sellers in Nagaland relieved as Assam lifts ban on import of pigs

Dimapur: In what will come as a relief to pork sellers in Nagaland, the government of Assam is said to have lifted the restriction imposed on transportation of live pigs from various parts of the country into the state.

It came more than two months after the Assam government banned the transportation of poultry and pigs from other parts of the country, to or through the state on March 10, citing rise in bird flu and African swine fever (ASF) cases in other states.

However, ‘local Assam pigs’ were allowed to be transported to Dimapur.

Reacting to the restriction imposed by Assam, the Pork Butchers’ Union Dimapur (PBUD) had announced the closure of butcher shops from April 24 citing higher price of pigs from Assam. However, the union lifted the ban on May 7 after the Dimapur Municipal Council increased the price of pork to INR 300 per kg.