Israeli pepper prices rising at end of season
Malou Even and Itzhak Vizenberg from Arava Export Growers
Less Dutch and Spanish product
She informs that the last weeks have been too cold in Holland for enough production. "Besides Spain has not a lot product left and then the demand is there for Israeli product. Two years ago it was a similar story. Then we even exported until halfway through May, but that was an exception. At the moment there is primarily a shortage of red pepper," she continues. "The season started tough in November and it continued to be tough. We always have a lot of competition from Spain. It changed over the last weeks. In March it started to get better. It is a strange season, but there isn't one season exactly the same. We supply normally from November till April, a maximum of 6 months. Each week now is an extra one. It depends also on when German supermarkets change to Dutch product, but then Holland needs sufficient availability to supply the demand. It seems that we are also close to the end of the season. There is one small ship going next week with a few containers and that will be the last."
Arava Export Growers offers a wide assortment of produce (with a total of at least 80,000 ton). The main target markets are Europe and Russia. "With bell pepper the volumes are EU/Russia around 55/45 and for some periods 50/50 or even 60/40. Russia is for us a growing market. Besides pepper it is remarkable that the citrus export has been expanded as well. Last year we were number 5 and now number 3 amongst Israeli exporters. We are very proud about that! In a few weeks we also expect the grape season and stonefruit." Arava also offers organic product. "Here we see a growth as well within the last years."
For more information:
Malou Even
V.P. Business Development & Global Sales
Arava Export Growers Ltd.
Tel : +972-3-972-8-104
[email protected]
www.arv.co.il
