Israel's carrot harvest for the domestic market began about a month and a half ago, with exports expected to start around late January. Meanwhile, Amir Porat, CEO of Gezer Shluhot, one of Israel's largest carrot growers and exporters, is closely monitoring market developments in Europe.
Amir Porat, CEO of Gezer Shluhot
"It's still early days, and we'll have a clearer picture of the carrot market around February, closer to the Berlin exhibition," Porat explains. "In general, it seems Europe had a good growing season, particularly in major production areas like Belgium and the Netherlands. Weather conditions were ideal for carrot cultivation. While the European sowing season may have started slightly late due to wet conditions, the crops managed to close the gap quickly thanks to favourable weather. European growers are reporting above-average yields and good quality, with storage facilities mostly full. Many seem optimistic. However, some parts of Eastern Europe, such as Poland and the Czech Republic, were hit by heavy rains and flooding, causing significant damage. As a result, it's still uncertain how much Western Europe will export to Eastern Europe this season. It's possible that Eastern Europe will import more than usual, which could help balance the surplus yields in the West."
Photos by Amir Porat.
The Israeli carrot season has also gotten off to a good start. "Our season began well," Porat notes. "Like last year, we planted roughly the same area and expect similar volumes. However, we've had a very dry autumn so far, with barely any rain. While this is unfortunate, as we need water in this region, the dry weather has been advantageous for sowing and land preparation at the start of the season. We've been able to work the land uninterrupted, which has been very helpful. Winter will eventually arrive, and we hope it will bring enough rainfall to balance both the harvest pace and market demand."
For now, the focus remains on serving the local market while observing developments in Europe and other regions. "We'll need to wait and see how European storage develops and balances between the local demands and the global alternative offers. I don't anticipate a strong demand for carrot imports into Europe this season compared to the last two years," Porat concludes.
For more information:
Amir Porat
Gezer Shluhot
Tel: +972 52 545 0781
Email: [email protected]
www.gezershluhot.com