Farmers’ organisations, led by the Israel Federation of Farmers, have immediately objected strongly to the plan released today to privatise Agrexco.

Joseph Bleir, secretary general of the Federation, said Agrexco "is not a government property. The company belongs to the farmers, who for decades supported the company and guaranteed its financial stability until the company became profitable in each of the past seven years and gained economic strength."

Bleir said that Agrexco has acted in the past decade as a business entity, claiming that the government did not invest a single shekel to support Agrexco and therefore "has no right to privatise it and pocket the earnings." He called upon minister Simhon to initiate a move to remove the government's holdings in Agrexco and transfer the company "to the real owners of the company, the farmers, who for 40 years supported it."

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