Fresh chicken is in short supply
Poultry shortage to continue until Monday
Due to the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim slaughterhouse workers have been on vacation, thereby creating a poultry shortage throughout the country; the shortage is expected to last until Monday.
Did you get to the store this week and realize that there's no fresh chicken? Don't worry, the chicken shortage that's been going on over the past two weeks is about to be over – and by Monday fresh chicken is supposed to return to supermarket freezers.
The Ministry of Agriculture released a statement saying that there would be a chicken shortage throughout the month of September, specifically between the 12th and the 16th.
The reason for the shortage is because the majority of the Muslims who work in the slaughterhouses are on vacation for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The holiday commemorate when, according to Islamic tradition, God told Ibrahim to sacrifice Ismail, then sent down the angel Jibril (Gabriel) and told Ibrahim that although he hadn't gone through the act of sacrificing his son, the sacrifice had been accepted.
There will be a poultry shortage until Monday (Photo: Yaron Brenner)
Although the holiday ended Wednesday, the slaughterhouse workers will only return to work on Sunday, and fresh chicken will be seen in stores as usual starting on Monday.
Sources in the poultry industry said that the preparations for this year's poultry shortage have been more successful than in the past due to the higher rate of slaughter before the holiday started.
These same sources said that there is a lot of tension between the poultry association and the Ministry of Agriculture due to the poultry growers waiting for a new cartel to be created for poultry growers under the supervision of the poultry council.
The Ministry of Agriculture said in response that the ministry is currently determining the best way to deal with the issue in order to ensure that the poultry council continues to exist, and to protect the farmers and the welfare of the animals.
Meanwhile, Rami Levy and Supersal supermarket chains have reported that the chicken shortage will be over by Monday.
