The cabinet yesterday outlawed raising geese to make foie gras pate, after the High Court of Justice ruled that force-feeding the birds to fatten their livers caused them hideous suffering.

However, the cabinet also recently decided to remove customs duties on goose liver imports, opening the import market to free competition since there is no longer any homegrown industry to protect.

The removal of duties extends for a year and a half trial period , during which the Agriculture Ministry will examine whether the imports affects or harms other Israeli agricultural producers, in particular other poultry growers such as turkey farmers.
 
The 50% customs duty on goose meat had in effect prevented any such imports.

Imported goose liver, from birds killed according to rabbinically supervised kosher slaughtering, comes from Europe, in particular from Hungary.