ISRAEL

Feedback from the Trade on Their Plans and Interest in the USA Pear Season:

In the cold storage warehouses in Israel, pears from the US have run out. There are still small quantities in specialty stores and in the affluent areas of the marketing chains.

Expectations for Any Freight or Logistics Challenges:

All containers of pears that arrived from the US passed all plant protection inspections without any problems. At the time of writing this report, one container is expected to arrive in Israel.

Opportunities in Your Market for Specific Varieties, Sizes, and Grades:

The consumption of pears in Israel is about 38 thousand tons. Local production provides about 24-27 thousand tons and the rest is imported. The main reasons for the small quantity imported to Israel this season are the significantly high prices of pears, long and irregular transportation by a single shipping company, and the closure of the Suez Canal.

Update on the Competition in the Market:

The main competitors are local production and massive imports from Greece, France, and Spain.

Political or Economic Issues Impacting Imports, Retail, or Consumer Behavior:

It should be noted that despite the dramatic increase in agricultural product prices, the Israeli economy is recovering.

Other Brief Comments:

The next pear season is expected to be better and the market's potential for USA Pears to be realized.