Middle East Monitor / April 21, 2021
The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza said on Tuesday that initial estimates indicate that poultry farmers in the besieged enclave have incurred losses of nearly $275,000 due to the heatwave currently affecting the area.
The director of public relations and information in the ministry, Fayez Al-Sheikh, told Safa news website that around 75,000 chickens had died due to the high temperatures, as well as 400 turkeys, and 50 rabbits. At least 70 farmers are affected by these losses.
Al-Sheikh pointed out that the ministry constantly warns farmers and poultry farmers ahead of extreme weather conditions to prevent and reduce losses. However, with the farmers seeking to maximise profits during Ramadan, they tend to keep large numbers of birds in overcrowded makeshift conditions, and they are unable to cope with the heat.
