Dimapur, May 4 (EMN): The Pork Butchers' Union in Dimapur (PBUD) on Thursday issued an ultimatum to the Nagaland government to address the ban on importing pigs from other states through Assam in the next two days, failing which it warned of increasing the price of pork from May 8.
During a press conference at the PBUD office in Walford Colony, Dimapur, PBUD president Shikato T Swu stated that it had been 11 days since the ban was implemented, but despite submitting a representation on April 27, the Nagaland government had not responded to date.
Swu said the ban on importing pigs from Assam was implemented by the PBUD to monitor the market price of pork.
However, despite the lack of response from the government and the absence of public or organisational support, Swu stated that the PBUD decided to lift the ban on May 8 and increase the price of pork if its concerns were not addressed by May 6.
He also highlighted that the Assam government had prohibited the transportation of pigs from other states to Nagaland since March 15, 2023, resulting in the availability of only local pigs from Assam, priced at a higher rate of around INR 240 to 250 per kilogram.
Swu further added that if PBUD lifts the ban on importing pigs from Assam and begins selling pork from May 8, there will be a price difference of INR 100 between the wholesale and retail price of pork meat.
Additionally, the president informed that in the event of lifting the ban by Monday, the union will provide a helpline number for the public to report any malpractice during the sale of meat and the media will be kept updated on any developments.
The vice president of PBUD, Hotoshe Zhimo, expressed that they were all hand-to-mouth earners and the pork business was their only source of income to support their families and children's education.
Zhimo also pointed out that there used to be around INR 80 difference between the prices of beef and chicken with pork, but now they have become more expensive than pork.
He also highlighted that 90% of the pork business in the region is run by Naga people, while beef and chicken businesses are mostly run by outsiders. Despite this, the public often complains about pork sellers regarding price rates or other issues, he claimed.