As Tu Bishvat is coming closer (New year of trees on the 28th of January), Yaron Belhassan, CEO of the Israel Fruit Growers Association, calls on the public to consume fresh fruit from Israel, instead of dried fruit imported from abroad.
“Tu Bishvat is the holiday of agriculture and the yield of the land. There is no reason to celebrate it by eating imported dried fruits, when you could also celebrate it with fresh fruits from your own country, enjoying the quality and abundance of nutritional values while at the same time, supporting the local economy and Israeli farmers, especially now we are in the midst of the corona crisis that also harmed Israeli farmers”, Belhassan says.
Israel imports over €226 million worth of dried fruits and fresh nuts each year according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. The fresh fruit industry has grown in recent years, now amounting to €1.7 billion, which is an increase of over €251 million within five years, making up 23% of the total agricultural output.