The Jordanians are refusing to export tomatoes to Israel, even after the Health Ministry reinstated import approval under certain conditions, according to a report on Monday.
In August, the Health Ministry banned tomato imports from Jordan. "Laboratory tests found positive samples for cholera in the drainage area of the Yarmouk River. The ministry contacted Jordanian authorities requesting information about the water sources used for the crops," the ministry said in a statement.
According to sources in Israel's Agriculture Ministry, "The Jordanians were offended by the unilateral announcement and are awaiting an apology from the Health Ministry." The sources added that the incident might also serve as an excuse for Jordan to "punish" Israel over its actions in Gaza and Lebanon. "With a global shortage of tomatoes and rising demand, Jordanian growers have no issue finding alternative markets."
Israel imported tomatoes from Jordan to replace the vegetable imports from Turkey, which were halted after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan imposed a boycott on Israel.
Amid the ongoing shortage, Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security said on Monday that it would open an additional import quota for 5,000 tons of tariff-free tomatoes. The quota would be in effect until the end of December. In mid-August, the Health Ministry approved a similar quota of 5,000 tons, of which 2,500 tons have already entered Israel, mostly from Poland.
Despite the tariff exemptions, the global shortage and high demand have kept prices elevated. Regular tomatoes are selling for around 12 shekels per kilogram in most stores, though they can reach as high as 15 shekels. The price of cluster tomatoes has skyrocketed to between 25 and 45 shekels per kilogram, contributing to a 10% increase in the Consumer Price Index.
The tomato shortage in Israel is primarily due to a drop in local crop yields following this summer's extreme heat and the Turkish boycott. On average, Israelis consume about 14,000 tons of tomatoes per month. Typically, local production meets most of this demand, with imports supplementing the shortfall. However, this year the situation has reversed.