May 5, 2008

GAZA, (PIC)-- The ministry of agriculture in Gaza warned Monday that the poultry and hatchery sector stopped completely because of the depletion of natural gas used for warming eggs and young chicken which threatens to deprive Gaza citizens from white meat after the red meat had already become scarce from the domestic food basket as a result of the closure of crossings for more than ten months.

In a statement, assistant deputy minister of agriculture Dr. Ibrahim Al-Kudra stated that the natural gas needs of the poultry sector are estimated at 400 tons per month, as the Gaza Strip produces 10,000,000 birds.

Dr. Kudra pointed that owners of poultry and hatchery farms started to execute hundreds of thousands of young chicken after strenuous attempts to procure their needs of gas, thus resulting in considerable financial losses.

The Palestinian official also underlined that the chapters of livestock crisis started when the IOA prevented the entry of vaccines used to immunize animals and birds which led to the death of 1,500,000 birds during the last five months.

The official also opined that the collapse of poultry sector would exacerbate the food deficit in Gaza after agricultural machinery, wells and canneries stopped working by 70 percent.