Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture: Food Basket in Gaza Approaches Edge of Danger

Gaza, MINA – The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture said that the food basket of the residents of the Gaza Strip is approaching danger, as a result of the farmers suffering of heavy losses and their reluctance to farming, due to the long closure of the Israeli occupation of the Karm Abu Salem crossing for more than 35 days in a row.

The ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday, that the value of losses of the agricultural and fish exports sector as a result of the closure of the Karm Abu Salem crossing amounted to about $12 million. It stressed that the prolongation of the closure by the Israeli occupation will double the losses of Palestinian farmers and traders, MINA’s contributor in Gaza reported.

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The ministry indicated that farmers had intentions to leave the agriculture sector in light of the low local prices and preventing their products to be marketed to the West Bank and exported to Arab countries by the Israeli occupation, as well as preventing the production requirements to enter Gaza. It warned that the continuation of this situation would be reflected in the food basket of citizens in the Strip.

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture called on all human rights institutions and international and Arab bodies related to agriculture and food to stand up to their responsibilities to stop the Israeli occupation violations against farmers and traders, open the Karm Abu Salem crossing, and allow the marketing and export of Palestinian agricultural products as well as the entering of agricultural supplies. (L/MS/RE1)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)