The Israeli ministry of agriculture is aiming to boost Israel's flower exports within the next two years to three billion units a year - almost double current volume.

At the annual convention of flower growers held last week, farm minister Israel Katz said that expanded volumes would be achieved by increasing grants for investments, the introduction of new varieties "and by improving marketing and transportation facilities".

As part of a new policy adopted by the ministry, flower growers producing for export in the country's central region will now receive grants for upgrading their infrastructures. Until now, these grants were provided only to farmers in the peripheries.

Jacob Sitton, general manager of the Israeli Flower Board, said that the country's flower sector has undergone a "process for efficiency" in recent years. "The number of growers has been reduced from 2,700 to nearly 1,300," said Sitton. "This has not affected overall production volume since the size of farms has increased significantly."

Sitton estimated that returns to growers in local currency during the forthcoming season will be 17 per cent up on last season's levels.

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