Faced with mounting debts, civil and criminal charges and insufficient cash, Agriprocessors, one of the nation�s largest kosher meat producers, has suspended operations, causing shortages here and fears of soaring prices.
"New York has begun to see shortages and it�s going to get really bad later this week,? said Rabbi Seth Mandel, rabbinic coordinator in charge of meat for the Orthodox Union. "You will see shortages everywhere.?
Concern is already evident at some area kosher restaurants.
"People are getting nervous about whether I will have product,? said Jeremy Lebewohl, an owner of the Second Avenue Deli in Manhattan.
Steven Traube, the managing partner of two other city restaurants, predicted: "Meat prices could easily go up 20 or 30 percent.?
Rabbi Israel Steinberg, who provides kosher supervision at several area restaurants and stores, said that "chicken prices will also probably go up? because Agriprocessors slaughters chickens as well.
Should Agriprocessors go out of business, "it would be devastating for everybody,? observed Rabbi Luzer Weiss, director of the kosher law enforcement in New York.
"I hope for the sake of the kosher consumer that they straighten out their problems or go into receivership so someone else can come in and not have the place go under,? he added.
Rabbi Mandel said the meat shortage would be particularly acute for those seeking glatt kosher meat.
He said the nation�s other major glatt kosher meat producer, Alle Processing in Maspeth, Queens, cannot possibly fill the void left by Agriprocessors, which has not slaughtered or processed steer at either its Postville, Iowa, or Nebraska plants since Oct. 17.
The largest kosher poultry company, Empire Kosher Poultry, plans to evaluate its customers� needs and then "make adjustments to the extent that our business allows us to fill those needs,? according to Elie Rosenfeld, a company spokesman.
"Empire will produce a certain percentage more and if everybody kicks in a few thousand more chickens, it should mitigate the void,? he said.
Rosenfeld declined to comment on reports that Empire was studying the possibility of acquiring Agriprocessors� business. He has said in the past that the company was considering entering the kosher beef production business.
Rabbi Genack said that compounding the kosher meat shortage is the fact that a kosher meat plant in Minnesota is not operating because of a fire there. He said the facility would not be operating until all issues with the insurance company are ironed out.
(Source: Jewish Week)
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=25565
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