Gaza, Alray - Alaa AL-Rafati ,Palestinian Minister of National Economy stated on Wednesday that chicken shortage problem to be solved soon.

"His ministry took serious procedures and steps to solve this crisis; as a delegation from   ministries of economy and agriculture went  to Egypt  to conduct agreements to import both fresh and frozen chicken," Al- Rafati  told Alray correspondent.

Al-Rafati declared that his ministry decided to establish a central  chicken slaughterhouse where the superfluous chicken can be frozen to maintain the prices and to supply the market whenever there is a lack in fresh chicken.

The ministry also decided to establish chicken farms of layer chickens as a beginning to limit importing fertilized eggs from Europe.

"The crisis is not new" , said Ali AL-Tarshawi the  Minister of Agriculture "In February 2013, the imported fertilized eggs entered to Gaza were only 50% of the usual quantity. The chicken hatching process takes two months that is why the problem emerged in April." " "Israel" closed the crossings to Gaza for 12 days during this month." he added.

 AL-Tarshawi added that his ministry put no reservations for importing all kinds of chicken ,meat and fish (fresh and frozen) from "Israel", as a solution for the problem.

Over  the past few weeks the Gaza Strip markets witnessed a real shortage in fresh and frozen chicken led to skyrocket in prices.

The cold weather affected the quantity of fertilized eggs, repetitive closures of the crossings by Israeli occupation, and  deceasing of imported fertilized eggs , are amongst the main reasons behind this crisis.

The Gaza Strip used to import three million fertilized eggs. However, the number decreased to one million and six hundreds; 30% of which are damaged.