Gaza, Palestinian Territories – The Israeli forces have decimated 90 percent of 2,500 poultry and cattle farms in Gaza during their ongoing offensive, according to a government report in Gaza.
QNA reported that the report, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture in the Gaza Strip, said 850,000 breeder hens, which were producing 250 million eggs annually, perished in the offensive.
It highlighted that a million turkeys distributed across 150 farms, were culled, in addition to 80 percent of the total domestic poultry population, estimated to be 300,000 birds.
In addition, the Israeli forces destroyed 90 percent of the 100 cattle farms, which were breeding 50,000 calves annually, and culled 2,200 cows in 400 farms, which were annually producing 6,000 tons of milk, in addition to 60 heads of sheep and goats virtually distributed to 5,000 barns, the report continued.
The report emphasized that the Israeli aggression entirely destroyed the beekeeping sector after eliminating 20,000 hives that were producing 250 tons of honey annually. It stressed that since the onset of the Israeli offensive, 20 out of 22 egg incubators have ceased functioning, which were producing 40 million eggs annually, in addition to ravaging all five feed factories, which were producing 35,000 tons of feed annually.
According to the report, livestock production accounts for 39 percent of the total agricultural production in Gaza, with the total value of losses reaching $232 million. It indicated that livestock sector is beset by challenges, foremost of which is the reconstruction of production facilities ravaged by Israel, in addition to culling animals, birds and bees, coupled with the difficulty of providing feed and production essentials.
