Israeli-Lebanese conflict impacts poultry sector

Poultry farms in the settlements along the Israeli-Lebanese border have suffered very heavy losses and damages in the past several days as a result of direct hits from rockets and missiles shot by the Hezbollah from Lebanon.

The affected region is the country's major source of poultry meat and eggs.

Secretary of the Poultry Growers Association Yaakov Cohen said he requested full compensation from the Minister of Agriculture Shalom Simhon, considering that poultry farming is the main source of livelihood for hundreds of farmers.

Cohen said that due to the noise from the rockets and from the shelling of Israeli artillery, the rate of egg-laying has been reduced significantly. "Eggs are crooked, cracked or broken, and not suitable for marketing; and there were days that farmers were not allowed to go the coops and collect the eggs, according to instructions of the army," he said.

He added that direct hits destroyed a number of coops in settlements along the border.

Editor WorldPoultry