Israeli fruit growers are calling on the minister of agriculture for emergency assistance, aimed at rescuing the fruit sector from a sudden crisis caused by over-supply.

The glut of product has seen prices pushed well below the cost of production and trade sources noted that without urgent aid "the sector is on the verge of collapse due to heavy losses incurred to the growers".

Giora Sela, secretary general of the Fruit Growers Association, requested NIS17 million ($3.77m) from the government "to rescue the fruit sector before it goes bankrupt".

Sela also asked the minister of agriculture to carry out a revised long-term plan of the sector, especially pertaining to the deciduous fruits, "even if it calls for uprooting old plantations".

He added that without immediate intervention from the government, growers will go into heavy debt and not be able to pay for inputs, water, packaging materials, foreign workers and other related costs.

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