Israel’s tomato shortage is worsening, and consumer tomato prices are at an all-time high: supermarket chains are selling tomatoes for between 6.90 and 11.90 shekels per kilogram (between 85 cents and $1.46 per pound) and greengrocers are selling tomatoes for up to 18 shekels per kilogram ($2.20 per pound). The Ministry of Agriculture announced this week that it would address the crisis by allowing 5,000 tons of tomatoes to be imported duty-free over the next two months.
About 255 tons of tomatoes have been imported to Israel since the start of the month, according to Ministry of Agriculture data. The ministry conducts regular assessments into the tomato supply and has said that it will continue to increase the import quota according to demand. In an attempt to respond to the shortage, tomatoes intended for processing have recently been diverted to the consumer market, and the Ministry of Agriculture is also exploring importing tomatoes from additional countries.
A Boycott and Poor Sanitation Conditions Are Bringing Down Import Rates
Israel has tomato import deals with 22 different countries, including Greece, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Azerbaijan. The possibility of importing from additional countries is being examined, even if prices would be higher. Since tomatoes are a delicate crop with a short shelf life, the feasibility of importing from distant sources is limited. Imports may meet the demand in terms of quantity but at a high price for the consumer. The Ministry of Agriculture has warned against importing tomatoes from Egypt, where growing conditions and the handling of harvested crops are at a lower standard than that of Israel.
Israelis consume about 14,000 tons of tomatoes each month, the majority of which is grown in Israel. About 25% of the tomatoes eaten in Israel are imported from Turkey and Jordan. Local tomato production consistently lags in the summer, when the harsh Israeli heat harms the crop’s growth.
The inhospitable Israeli summers mean that 60% of the tomatoes in the Israeli market between September and November are imported. This summer’s extreme heat caused unprecedented damage to Israeli tomato crops. The war’s effect on Israeli agriculture—fewer foreign and Palestinian workers and some agricultural areas off limits to civilians—further damaged the summer’s tomato harvest. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the coming weeks are expected to see a 50% decrease in harvested tomatoes.
The tomato supply in Israel is also threatened by the Turkish boycott on exports to Israel announced earlier this year. Turkey is historically a major source of tomatoes to the Israeli market. In recent months, most tomatoes imported to Israel have come from Jordan—but the Ministry of Health recently stopped those imports as well after finding traces of cholera in the water used for irrigation.
Climate Change Bested the Ministry of Agriculture’s Efforts
The aggressive policy of importing fruits and vegetables over the past decade has worn down local production, especially after allowing imports from Turkey in 2016. The tomato yield in Israel declined from about 155,000 tons annually in 2016 to about 120,000 tons annually in 2022 and 2023. Imports from Turkey and Jordan have increased from 17,500 tons to about 41,000 tons in the past two years.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Agriculture has been making efforts to increase the share of locally produced crops, especially for the Israeli salad vegetables—tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. The ministry allocated approximately 20 million shekels ($5.4 million) to relocate fields that have been made inaccessible by the war, repurpose agricultural structures for affected crops, and repair greenhouses and netting structures that were damaged throughout the country.
In order to encourage tomato cultivation and increase supply during the summer months, the ministry publicized a financial support scheme designed to incentivize tomato growers in areas that allow for early cultivation. The ministry hoped this effort will prevent a shortage in the supply of tomatoes to the local market, even as some fields in Gaza border communities lie fallow.
The attempt to bolster crop yields during the summer months was unsuccessful, mostly because of intense heat, which made it difficult for tomato crops to survive and grow fruit. A review of temperature data from the past five years is not encouraging: in addition to a clear trend of rising temperatures, there is a noticeable increase in the number of extreme weather events lasting for longer periods of time. This warming also increases pest infestations, which greatly weaken tomato plants and prevent proper growth.
Winter Is Coming
A significant tomato shortage in Israel is still yet to come. The local tomato harvest is lowest during the months of September to December, and 75% of Israel’s annual imports occur during these three months. In order to increase the supply of tomatoes during these months, including during the High Holidays when there is an increase in tomato consumption, the Ministry of Agriculture has allocated 12 million shekels ($3.3 million) to support tomato farmers selling their produce during this period. An additional financial support procedure is expected to be published in the coming days to encourage the cultivation of tomatoes and other vegetables (known as the Israeli salad procedure).
The need to reinforce local crop production, especially when it comes to salad vegetables, is well known to the professionals in the ministry. The Office of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting and supporting researchers in the development of multidisciplinary research to increase the quantity and quality of Israeli tomatoes. Increased efficiency, seed and plant durability, advanced and cost-effective growing methods, and less labor-intensive crops will also bring down consumer prices.
As part of the research, approximately 15 million shekels ($4 million) will be invested over a period of five years in the development and testing of new robotic and computerized technologies for tomato cultivation. Reducing the need for manual labor will increase the feasibility of growing tomatoes, and will allow for a reduction in the price of tomatoes for the consumer. The Ministry of Agriculture, the Israel Innovation Authority and the Takuma Directorate (the government body responsible for rehabilitating the Gaza border communities following the October 7 attacks) will also support pilots of agricultural technology projects to improve technological capabilities in agriculture at an investment of 16 million shekels ($4.3 million).
This article was translated from Hebrew by Leah Schwartz and Benji Sharp.
