AIZAWL: Amid a sort of paranoia of of swine flu, which is spreading to many countries, Mizoram has banned import of pigs from the neighbouring Myanmar.
Sales of pork, arguably the undisputed champion on the Mizo menu, have dropped drastically. "Ever since as the news of swine flu started getting prominence in newspapers and television channels, sales of pork has suffered. We have to sell beef instead of pork now," a pork seller from Chhinga veng locality said.
Normally on Saturdays, women carrying baskets queue up at meat shops for a grand Sunday breakfast. But such queues have now shifted to beef counters.
Owners of Beef, mutton and chicken shops seem to be revelling at pork sellers' loss. "Niow luck is now on our side. Bird flu virtually ruined our business. But now our business has looked up," said a chicken seller called.
State animal husbandry and veterinary department director C Sangnghina said, "No case of swine flu has so far been detected here. We are alert and on the job. Our rapid action team is keeping a strict vigil along the 722-km international border with Myanmar and Bangladesh and also boundaries with Assam, Manipur and Tripura.
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