Jerusalem, Dec 27 Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has said that a shortage of millions of eggs is expected in the country due to the outbreak of pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.
It is estimated that there would be a shortage of 14 million eggs a month, out of 200 million eggs consumed in Israel monthly, Xinhua news agency reported.
To address the problem, Israeli agriculture minister Oded Forer decided to immediately open the Israeli market to the duty-free import of 70 million to 100 million eggs.
Given the recent wave of bird flu in 60 chicken coops in northern and southern Israel, the ministry has activated an emergency veterinary procedure to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Earlier in December, the ministry also reported that dozens of wild cranes infected with H5N1 were detected in the northeastern Hula Valley.
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