After reports that some potato crops were being sold to Gaza at the expense of local supply, the Ministry of Agriculture demanded today (Thursday) that Israeli consumers be prioritized.
Oren Barnea, the secretary of the Potato Growers Organization, responded to the report, stating, “Despite the war in the Gaza border region, potatoes were grown in full capacity, and the recovery has been nothing short of amazing. It’s true that some goods are being sent to Gaza, but to prevent shortages, we are accelerating the autumn planting to ensure there is no gap or shortage. It should be noted that the southern growers do not generally sell to Gaza. There are traders making deals with Gaza, and this is a free country, so they can do that.”
Meir Yifrach, secretary of the Vegetable Growers Organization, denied the report about a shortage, saying, “There is no shortage of potatoes. There are quantities of potatoes stored in the cooling facilities of the growers, and autumn planting is already underway. All crops in the Gaza border region have shifted to the price level of 2.32 NIS per kilogram. The consumer price for potatoes is around 4–4.5 NIS, and the grower receives 2–2.5 NIS. This is a reasonable price for the consumer. It’s possible that some stores wanted to create a shortage.”
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security provided a more detailed response: “The potatoes currently being sold to the public are from the spring harvest and are being stored in cold facilities. Since the start of the ‘Operation Swords of Iron’ war, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security worked to shift growing areas from combat zones to alternative regions accordingly.
“The spring potato harvest will meet local demand until early December. Potato growers have advanced the autumn planting to provide fresh potatoes to the public by the beginning of December.
“Following information received about a large quantity of potatoes being sold to Gaza, the ministry contacted the growers’ organization, requesting them to regulate the sale quantities to Gaza and ensure that the shelves in Israel remain full.”
