Food exports to US up 33% in January-May

Food exports to the US rose 33%, to $59 million, in January-May 2003, from $44 million in the corresponding period last year, said Minister of Economic Affairs to North America Zohar Pery yesterday.

Pery estimated that fresh and processed food exports would total $150 million in 2003. He attributed part of the increased exports to the success of the “Fine Foods from Israel” project to encourage the purchase of Israeli products in the US.

The project is part of a campaign to exploit goodwill toward Israel among Jewish communities and supporters of Israel who oppose the boycotts of Israeli goods in Europe. The project website lists Israeli food exporters and supermarkets and groceries that carry Israeli products in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Pery added that the companies that substantially benefited from the project were those with suitable logistics and marketing networks to export to the US, including changing the packaging and marking of products, and food exporters that already sell to supermarkets and stores. The Fine Foods from Israel project helped them expand their market penetration.

Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 16, 2003