Israeli herb, citrus and avocado exports have been severely hit by the US-Israeli war on Iran, with growers reporting significant losses amid soaring costs
Producers in Israel are suffering millions of euros’ worth of losses due to export disruptions as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to a report in Israel’s Ynet News, with requests for immediate assistance from the state.
Ezra Bechar, acting director general of the Plant Production and Marketing Board, warned of the urgency of government support. “This is the time to act,” he implored, “before it is too late.”
Fresh herbs have reportedly been the worst-hit category, with exports typically hitting their peak at the present time. Israel exports around 3,500 tonnes of fresh herbs a year, mostly by air to markets in Europe and East Asia, but flight suspensions have halted exports, while the closure of many domestic restaurants has slashed sales at home.
The citrus and avocado sectors are equally facing challenges during the peak marketing season. Each year, Israel exports 100,000-120,000 tonnes of citrus and about 140,000 tonnes of avocados by sea, Ynet reported, but with ships facing big delays at ports, produce quality is being affected, while storage costs increase, along with shipping, insurance and fuel costs.
In addition, the global fertiliser shortage has forced prices in Israel up by 180 per cent, according to Ynet, which is expected to lead to a rise in produce prices in-store.
The processing vegetables category has also apparently taken a hit, as processing plants in the north of the country scale down their operations.
