Israeli fruit growers who have been denied licenses to employ foreign workers by the ministry of agriculture have taken their case to the High Court of Justice, asking the court to sever the connection between what the farmers feel is an unfair tax and the awarding of the licenses.

The farmers say that for years they paid special taxes to the Plant Production and Marketing Board “for which we have gotten nothing in return”.

The Fruit Growers’ Association said some 1,200 fruit growers have stopped paying the tax, which is equal roughly to 20-30 per cent of the growers’ yearly income and is paid directly to the Plant Production and Marketing Board.

The growers asked the High Court to remove the precondition of paying the tax in order to be able to hire foreign workers.

The ministry of agriculture responded by directing the Plant Production and Marketing Board to withhold export licenses to those who do not pay - a move the growers claim will lead to an immediate loss of NIS 7 million (£830,000).

Some farmers said they stand to lose this season’s export crops as they have been refused the necessary permits from the board. They added that the Plant Production and Marketing Board and the ministry “are behaving in a bureaucratic way that is more befitting a Communist regime than the 21st century Israel”.

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