Dried fruits on sale
Photo: Eran Yuppy Cohen
Dried fruits sales total NIS 200 million on Tu B'Shvat
Consumtion of dried fruits skyrockets by 300 percent towards Jewish holiday; may cause prices to drop some 20 percent, according to Federation of Israel Chambers of Commerce
The holiday of Tu B'Shvat brings sales of dried fruits in Israel
to approximately NIS 200 million (about USD 47 million), according to the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce.
The dried fruit's market is valued at bringing in some NIS 600 million (about USD 141 million) per year.
During the Jewish holiday, which celebrates new trees and will take place on Saturday, there is a 300 percent rise in dried fruit consumption compared to any average month, and about 34 percent of the annual sale of dried fruits takes place during the holiday.
The price of a dried-fruit basket during Tu B'Shvat varies between NIS 50-60 (USD 10-14).
Seventy-five percent of Israeli households are expected to purchase dried fruits for the holiday.
The most popular fruits are dates, apricots, prunes, raisins and figs.
Marketing chains and retailers have already begun special holiday sales, and according to Reuben Schlissel, CEO of the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce's Food Branch, this is expected to bring dried fruit prices down by about 10-20 percent.
