Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., May 03, 2008 Nisan 28, 5768 | | Israel Time: 06:59 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 12:02 02/05/2008 Price of fresh produce rises by 6.7 percent in first 3 months of 2008 By Amiram Cohen, Bar Hion, Adi Daveret, and Ophir Bar-Zohar Tags: consumer price index, fruit  The price of fresh produce has risen 6.7 percent, a 67-fold increase compared to the rise in the consumer price index (0.1 percent), in the first three months of this year, according to figures released Friday by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The produce index measures changes in the price of bare necessities, including vegetables, fruit, milk and dairy products, eggs, chicken and cattle meat products, fish, honey, and dried fruit. These products are essential ingredients of every Israeli family's food allotments for the week, and a considerable chunk of income is spent by lower and middle-class families towards the products. One of the factors driving the rise in prices is the sharp increase - in the dozens, and in some case, hundreds, of percentage points - in the price of most vegetables and some fruit as well as the unusual cold spell which hit most Israeli agricultural regions this past January. Advertisement In March, prices of fruit and vegetables began receding from the effects of the cold spell, with the fresh produce index falling by 1.4 percent. The price drop could be attributed to a 41 percent drop in the price of zucchini, a 34 percent reduction in the price of cabbage, a 20.2 percent fall in the price of cucumbers, a 17 percent drop in the price of tomatoes, and a 15.6 percent cut in the price of eggplant. Despite the lower vegetable prices, the price of fish registered a 5.5 percent increase, poultry saw a 4 percent rise, milk and dairy products rose 2.9 percent, and the price of eggs rose 0.8 percent. The Agriculture Ministry notes that since the inception of the fresh produce index in January 2006, the index has risen 20.9 percent - more than five times the increase of the general CPI. Food crisis reaches Israel, stores ration rice sales Branches of Israel's "Supersol" and "Blue Square" supermarket chains have placed limits on the amount of rice they will allow customers to purchase, according to an investigation by TheMarker. Cashiers at the branches probed said the limits were enacted in response to an expected worldwide shortage of rice, something that Israeli market leaders have said will not affect the supply of rice in Israel. Nonetheless, a senior business official has stated that rice prices in Israel will rise by 70 percent, along with price hikes for other staple goods like tuna, flour, coffee, cooking oil, and sugar. Other food items made from rice, such as breakfast cereals and snack foods are expected to become more expensive as well, though it is not clear at this point by how much. Since the beginning of the year, there has been a 50 percent hike in the price of rice worldwide, along with other basic foodstuffs such as milk, meat, sugar, and flour. Analysts surmise the problem is linked in large part to rapid population growth that is outpacing food production. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Security first Foreign Minister Livni tells the PA to ensure terrorists don't exploit Israel's gestures. Terrorist pride Lebanon-based guerillas Hezbollah say they're proud to appear on the U.S. terrorist list.   1.   Calling all suckers: vote bb (again)! 16:25  |  Bob 02/05/08   2.   Price of Fresh Produce rises 19:35  |  Millicent 02/05/08   3.   It`s the same everywhere and at least two...... 19:39  |  Deborah 02/05/08   4.   To make a rubber band of your money and best 00:49  |  Karl 03/05/08   5.   Deborah, you are so right. To produce 1 kg of 01:07  |  Karl 03/05/08   6.   Congratulations you too 05:16  |  Mark Lincoln 03/05/08   7.   A greater threat to Israel 05:52  |  Mark Lincoln 03/05/08   8.   An old lesson, but a true one 06:36  |  Mark Lincoln 03/05/08   9.   The `bottom line` 06:43  |  Mark Lincoln 03/05/08

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