Israeli-Grown Produce Could Be on Sale in #UAE by Early November - Bloomberg

Israeli-Grown Produce Could Be on Sale in UAE by Early November - Bloomberg

Israeli farmers, who face stiff competition in their main export markets in Europe, might be able to sell their produce in the Persian Gulf as early as November.

The United Arab Emirates this week authorized the import of Israeli produce following the two nations’ normalization agreement, Israel’s Agriculture Ministry said in announcing the possible start date.

While Israeli exporters have diversified their markets in response to the mounting competition in Europe, demand hasn’t been sufficient, the ministry said. The UAE imported 80% of the $10 billion in fresh produce sold there in 2018, according to the ministry, and is a trade hub for goods sent on to eastern Asia.

Israel’s agricultural exports totaled $1.15 billion in 2018, according to ministry figures.