Jerusalem, 3 July, 2025 (TPS-IL) — In preparation for the Jewish holidays that are coming in late September, Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is publishing a competitive procedure for the import of honey duty-free, in the amount of 400 tons (metric). Imports will be allowed from all member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In a similar procedure conducted by the ministry last year, approximately 370 tons of packaged honey will be imported to Israel, at an average price of 19.8 Shekels ($5.8) per kilogram.
As part of the competitive process, the lower the price the importer or retailer commits to for the consumer, the larger the import quota it will receive. According to the terms of the process, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will require the winners to sell the honey to the consumer in packages of up to 1.5 kg. The ministry also requires importers and retailers to mark the imported packages on the shelves with large, clear signage, indicating the price of the honey and the country of import origin.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Israeli citizens consume the largest amount of honey per year during Rosh Hashanah and the winter months between November and February. In a year, the average Israeli consumes about 650-700 grams of honey, compared to Europe, where the average person consumes about 1.5 kilograms of honey.