Rani Bar Nes, an 80-year-old farmer from Moshav Bitzaron in southern Israel, has been growing fruit for four decades. A decade ago, he planted pomegranate trees on his land near Kibbutz Negba with the expectation of developing an export crop. That expectation has not materialised.
Bar Nes, now chairman of the fruit division at the Plants Council, estimates that pomegranate plantings have fallen sharply, from around 20,000 dunams (5,000 acres/2,023 hectares) in 2018 to about 6,000 dunams (1,500 acres/607 hectares) in 2024. Production in 2024 amounted to 6,000 tons, half the level recorded in 2018. He attributes the contraction to competition from Egypt and Turkey.
"Their costs are a quarter of ours, and they sell for half of what we sell," said Bar Nes. He added that Israeli farmers face high water prices, restrictions on pesticide use, and increasing costs of foreign labour. "A foreign worker costs me NIS 400 [$120] per day, including benefits, accommodation, food, and more," he said.
According to Bar Nes, growers are paid NIS 1.20 ($0.36) per kilogram for pomegranates, though retail prices vary widely. In Jerusalem, prices range from NIS 3.90 ($1.05) per kilogram at Rami Levy outlets to NIS 17.90 ($4.88) at Shufersal Express. In Tel Aviv, prices stretch from NIS 3.90 to as high as NIS 29.90 ($8.14) per kilogram, depending on the store.
Pomegranate consumption in Israel averages around four kilograms per person per year, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Around 18% of that consumption takes place during the High Holidays, where pomegranates hold symbolic and traditional importance.
Despite the fruit's deep cultural role, Bar Nes warns that cultivation is increasingly unsustainable. "A farmer plants a fruit tree for 40 years, but every year, the people in government change their minds about things like customs duties. You don't know what to plant," he said. "The state doesn't understand that agriculture isn't for one year, or that agriculture gives us food security."
He added that his son Shay intends to continue the business. "Otherwise, I would have closed down," he said. Still, he noted the pressure on growers. "Maybe we should all close down, move to Tel Aviv, and have an easier life."
Source: Times of Israel