Kerala ban on transportation puts TN piggery farmers in distress

COIMBATORE: Piggery farmers in Tamil Nadu are a worried lot as Kerala’s stringent ban on transportation of pigs from other states to contain the contagious spread of African swine fever (ASF) has pushed them into deep crisis.

Unfortunately, the ban has resulted in piling up of more than 2,000 tonnes of live pig in more than 100 farms in Coimbatore over the last six months of ban, which has been extended upto January 16. There are more than 2,000 piggery farms providing livelihood to several lakh people across Tamil Nadu.

“Piggery farms are in abundance in Coimbatore, Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts. The ban has also led to pork prices crashing sharply from Rs 100 to Rs 135 per kg of live pig to just around Rs 70 to Rs 100 based on its quality,” said R Venkatachalam, a piggery farmer from Periathadagam near Coimbatore.

Demand for pork remains low in Tamil Nadu and piggery farmers are entirely dependent on Kerala market.

“We have incurred heavy losses through expenses for food and medicines given to pigs in the farms. Our livelihood will revive only if Kerala lifts the ban. We have decided to raise the issue with the state government to hold talks with Kerala to remove the curbs at least for Christmas and New Year celebrations, when the demand for pork generally spikes. Almost 80 per cent of stagnated pigs from Tamil Nadu can be disposed of during the festival season,” he added.

Piggery business gradually recovered from the impact of COVID-19 only to get worse due to the spread of ASF in the neighbouring state. However, the piggery farmers here have raised unfounded fears that political interventions may be behind the prolonging ban enforced by Kerala on transportation of pigs.

“Mushrooming piggery farmers in Kerala may be lobbying with their government to prolong the ban for them to flourish. In the last few months, they have managed to fulfill a considerable part of pork demand and more farms are now coming over there. But, still the cost factor rules in our favour,” said S Gnanaprakash, secretary of Tamil Nadu Pig Farmers Association.

A piglet takes up to six months to become an adult weighing around 100 kg and above to be ready for meat. Over the last six months of ban, the piglets have grown up and are aging fast resulting in loss of their tenderness and quality, which in-turn may fetch only low returns, rued the farmers.

Farmers have also put forth a demand with the government to set up a pork processing unit in Tamil Nadu to facilitate exports. It has so far been processed in Kerala.