Tomato prices in Israel have been skyrocketing during the last few weeks : one kilogram of tomatoes can be found for sale for as much as 12 shekels (roughly 3 dollars per kg) in some areas of the country. The high price, a result of short supply, has again prompted the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture to declare that customs duties will be waived, enabling import of tomatoes from Turkey or Spain.

The price of one kilogram of tomatoes, last week in Tel-Aviv: more than 12 shekels (Photo: Gisha)

According to Gisha “there’s a simple, attainable and immediate solution that could provide the Israeli market with an abundance of high-quality vegetables as early as tomorrow: expanding the marketing of produce from the Gaza Strip to Israel. Since 2015, Israel has allowed only a relatively small quantity of agricultural produce from Gaza to be sold within its borders. Only eggplants and tomatoes are permitted for marketing in Israel, limited to a quota of 400 tons a month.

Farmers in Gaza are both able and willing to market larger amounts of produce to Israel. The quantities of vegetables sold to their many happy clients in the West Bank testify to this. In the first quarter of 2017, 783 truckloads of agricultural produce left Gaza for the West Bank compared to only 110 truckloads of tomatoes and eggplants marketed to Israel during this time.

In Gaza, a kilogram of tomatoes is currently being sold for as little as 2 shekels (50 US cents). Expanding the marketing of produce to Israel will support the livelihoods of many individuals, contribute to an overall improvement in Gaza’s economy and reduce price for Israeli consumers. “The Ministry of Agriculture should approve expanding the marketing of produce from Gaza immediately. It is the most reasonable, appropriate and fair solution to the situation,” according to Gisha.