Cherry Farmers seek permission to Export to Syria

Cherry crops would be unusually large this year reaching 4,500 tons due to the cold weather
 
Ilan Eshel, general manager of the Israel Fruit Growers’ Association, said last week that cherry farmers in the Golan Hights had asked the government to allow them to export their produce to Jordan and Syria this year.
 
Eshel noted that cherry crops would be unusually large this year reaching 4,500 tons due to the cold weather. Such high crop, Eshel added, create a problem to local growers as the local market can only absorb around 4,000 tons.
 
Cherry farmers said last week their trees produced enough fruit to flood the Israeli market, causing prices to drop and leading to losses.
 
Golan farmers have exported apples to Syria for the past three years for similar reasons.  Cherry farmers need permission from the Agriculture Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and Finance Ministry before they are allowed to export to Syria. Eshel expects the government to approve the sale. 
 
Agriculture Minister Shalom Simchon was quoted saying, 'I hope we will be able to export cherries to Syria in the summer'.