Because of the outbreak of avian influenza… 16 million chickens were slaughtered in Japan

The Japanese authorities announced the slaughter of 16 million chickens in Japan in light of the outbreak of the bird flu virus, which negatively affected the restaurant sector, which is struggling due to inflation. The Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement reported by the agency"kyudo"A Japanese news agency reported that egg-producing chickens accounted for up to 90 percent of the birds that are culled, which has squeezed egg supplies and sent prices soaring. As of March 2, the wholesale price per kilogram of medium-sized eggs was 335 yen ($2.4) in Tokyo, the highest since 1993. Concerns about an egg shortage are mounting, with many restaurants choosing to suspend serving egg-based dishes. The process is expected to take at least six months for the egg supply to return to previous levels. The bird flu virus has spread at an unprecedented pace since the season began in October 2022, with 80 cases detected in poultry farms in 26 of the country’s 47 provinces.