Israeli fresh produce exporters marked an all-time record during the first five months of 2004, when export of vegetables were up 68 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to a report by the Israel Federation of Farmers.
Sales in the period amounted to US$ 240 million (£130m), with the sharpest increase recorded in potatoes, up 112 per cent year-on-year, and to flowers, up five per cent. The report notes that the export of citrus was up 21 per cent, to a value of US$43 million (£23m), whereas the export of fruit overall declined by 13 per cent.
Yusta Blaire, general manager of the Federation of Farmers, commented that the increase in the export volume of vegetables "is very encouraging development and represents the ability of Israeli farmers to supply throughout the year high-quality products”.
According to the report, prices of inputs during the first five months of 2004 were up some 20 per cent over the corresponding period last year, but as input prices on the global market are currently going down, there is every expectation that returns to farmers will increase in 2004.
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