Summer fruit (illustration)
צילום: מריאן הול
Israeli apricots and plums in winter?
Galilee farmers find way to export summer fruit in winter by transfering fruit orchards to southern hemisphere
Israeli farmers transfer their fruit orchards to the southern hemisphere to continue producing summer fruit in the winter.
Israeli summer fruit have been big stars in European supermarkets. But when the summer ends, so does the stock. Traditionally, these Israeli fruit species could not be found in the winter. Nature restricts consumer loyalty.
Ben David Fruit from Yesod Hama'ala, one of the largest fruit exporters in Israel has found an original solution. They have signed contracts with agriculturalist from southern hemisphere countries to grow fruit species unique to Israel in their soil.
These countries include Chile, South Africa and Australia. The agreements enable he European supermarket chains to market these fruit all year round.
An extra bonus in the deal is that growing the fruit in these far away countries also opens new marketing routes to places that the fruit could not usually be shipped to. Ben David fruit grown in Australia, for instance, can now be marketed in markets in the Far East, where they are a huge success.
During the summer season in Israel, the southern hemisphere groves 'hibernate', so they are no competition to the Israeli-grown fruit.
Transferring these crops to other countries is a long process. The seeds are quarantined to ensure that they do not carry any diseases that could harm local produce, then they are tested for climate conditions.
