Unlike what he used to do Palestinian Abu Ahmed 54 from Gaza was not bothered by the deadline to shave his hair before Eid al-Adha this year. He has not missed a single Qurban before. However the economic conditions on the one hand and the high price of Qurbans on the other hand made him unable to provide a Qurban this year.
The economic condition of Abu Hamed one of the biggest merchants in the Gaza Strip is no longer the same because of the deteriorating economic conditions and the commercial situation and the decline in the purchasing power to frightening levels in the coastal enclave. He is an example of hundreds of merchants who have suffered losses and decline in their trade due to the Israeli siege on one hand and the sanctions of the PA on the other hand.
Turnout declined
According to the Director General of the Animal Production Department at the Ministry of Agriculture Tahir Abu Hamad this year may be quite different from previous years indicating that the indicators of turnout related to the people who are able to provide a Qurban “shows that we are facing an unprecedented season”.
Abu Hamad explains that the Gaza Strip consumes between 12-14 thousand calves in Eidul Adha in addition to 25-30 thousand sheep expecting that this number will decrease by half or slightly more this year.
He pointed out that the deterioration of the economic situation on the one hand and the high prices of red meat significantly threatens the season of sacrifice this year pointing out that the prices of livestock rose from 14 to 20 NIS per kilo while prices of goats and sheep rose from three and a half JD to four JD and they may reach five JD per kilo.
Supply without demand
A number of farmers confirmed to the PIC that the supply is available in all farms but the amount of demand is not as expected.
They pointed out that the process of supply and demand controls the prices and the amount of consumption pointing out that economic conditions control the rate of demand by citizens who are unable to provide a Qurban as they do every year.
The owner of one of the farms explains that he has customers who come every year a month before the season starts to reserve their Qurban for Eid al-Adha. However many of them did not show up this year due to the economic situation and the closure of the crossings.
Owners of cattle farms hope that the purchasing power of this year’s sacrifice season will improve to compensate them for the losses they will suffer as a result of the deteriorating economic conditions in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli occupation authorities impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip since 2006 causing catastrophic crises and repercussions on the population. According to European reports 40% of the 1.95 million population of the coastal enclave are below the poverty line 80% of whom receive relief assistance as a result of the brutal blockade.
