ISRAEL

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

All of the importers announced that they will continue to order Red Anjou pears from the Northwest until shipments arrive from Argentina in April. For the first time, there have been complaints about pears not ripening properly, with pears purchased about two weeks ago still not ripe enough to eat.

Expectations for Any Freight or Logistics Challenges:

Only one shipping company, MSC, visits ports in the western US and reaches ports in Israel. It should also be taken into account that as long as the Bab el-Mandab Straits are dangerous for transit, the solutions are either to circumnavigate Africa or to pass through the Panama Canal. This situation significantly increases the price of transportation.

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

Red Anjou pears are featured in most supermarket chains and specialty fruit stores.

Update on the Competition in the Market:

As usual, the most significant competition is the local crop of Spadona pears. Alongside them, there are imports from Greece of Santa Rosa pears that replace imports from Turkey. Negligible quantities of Conference and Blancalia pears arrive from France and Spain.

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

The Israeli economy is at a low point in terms of monetary reserves and new investments in industry, alongside the significant increase in prices, especially housing and food. This is despite the fact that the shekel maintains its value and stands at 3.6 to 3.8 shekels to the dollar.

Other Brief Comments:

In the past two weeks, after ceasefires were reached in the north with Lebanon and in the south in the Gaza Strip, there has been a degree of calm after 15 months of intense war.