Pomegranate, anyone?
Agriculture Ministry publishes report detailing average consumption of High Holiday favorites
The Agriculture Ministry published a report detailing consumption figures for traditional holiday foods, ahead of the High Holidays.
According to the fish farmers' association, the average Israeli consumes about 24 lbs of fish a year – a quantity that doubles around the High Holidays.
The holidays see 1,000 tons of carp, 800 tons of tilapia and 300 tons of mullets consumed, as opposed to 350, 500 and 300 tons (respectively) the rest of the year.
Tilapia is the most popular fish year-round, followed by carp and gilt-head sea bream.
Another holiday favorite is the pomegranate: Israelis consume about 11,000 tons of pomegranate a year, 6,000 tons of them between Rosh Hashana and Sukkot.
The reddish delight is marketed as a whole fruit, pre-packaged berries or in juice form.
Honey, another holiday staple, also experiences a consumption surge around the High Holidays: The annual honey consumption is Israel is 3,500 tons, 40% of which is eaten during the holidays.
Israelis buy about NIS 35 million worth (roughly $9 million) of honey during the High Holidays alone.
Another hallmark of the fall holidays is the apple: According to the Agriculture Ministry, the average Israeli eats 125 apples a year. Israel's apple orchards span 10,000 acres, which yield about 110,000 tons of fruit.
The top three favorites in the apple division are Golden, Starking and Granny Smith.
