Israeli fruit

Today, agricultural products only make up 2.5 percent of the total Israeli exports! And the citrus fruits are less than 0.2 percent. Read under "IT and hightech" for more information on todays export industry.

The growing interest for healthy food has been fortunate for the Israeli export. Today, we not only eat more fruit, but also often chose to replace meat with Israeli soy products. And if youd like to shop environmentally friendly, many Israel fruits and vegetables are organically grown.

The more obvious products from Israel are of course oranges, avocados and persimmon fruits.

In absolute numbers, the export industry is as big as it used to, but in relative numbers, Israel is today, just like Sweden, not at all dependent on the export-success of the agricultural industry.

Food

Jaffa is the most famous brand of the Israeli export industry. Despite Scandinavia being a relatively small market for Jaffa, a stunning 93% of consumers are familiar with the brand. People associate Jaffa with high quality and great taste.

Since the brand is so successful, The Citrus Marketing Board of Israel (CMBI) let franchisees from all over the world use the brand (for a fee). Thus, a Jaffa orange may originate from e.g. Japan, Holland or Italy. Jaffa is the harbor where the citrus fruits started to be exported by ship already in the end of the 19th century.

Today, Israel exports at least a dozen different citrus fruits, using such as Jaffa Sweetie, Jaffa Sunrise, Jaffa, Jaffas, Jaffarines, Sunrise, Sweetie, Suntina, Yarden Red, Yarden River, Golden Sweet, Jaffa Suntina, Jaffa Yarden Red, Jaffa Yarden River.

Carmel markets its products all over the world through the export company Agrexco. In Sweden, we get among other products, avocados, melons, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and persimmon fruits thanks to Carmel.

Except Jaffa and Carmel, there are a number of other companies and brands in our stores that sell e.g. melons, carrots, celery, grapes, dates and green pepper originating in Israel.

Its not always easy to recognize Israeli fruits and vegetables. Probably, we eat them more often than we think. Some stores, affected by anti-Israeli vandalism, seem to mix Israeli products with those from other countries. It is of course good that they still sell Israeli products, but its not facilitating for those of us wanting to make an active choice.

www.jaffa.co.il/main.asp?id=58
The Israeli Economy at a Glance 2003