Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman signed an order today (Monday) canceling the customs duty on the import of fresh, frozen and processed fish in order to increase competition and lower prices.
The decree includes the cancellation of the customs duty on a variety of fish such as bream, sea bass, locus, moser, bass, trout, tuna and seafood.
In relation to some products, the customs duty will be canceled immediately and in relation to others, it will be canceled gradually.
The decree also includes the cancellation of the customs duty on canned tuna.
stretched in salt.
Soon we will pay less for it, photo: Yonatan Ben Haim
Fish prices in Israel are 24% higher compared to OECD countries.
The duty on fish imports stands at about NIS 7.5 per kilo on average, but in relation to the import of filleted fish it may even reach about NIS 11 per kilo.
Minister of Finance, Avigdor Lieberman: "Rosh Hashanah is upon us and we bring great news to the citizens of Israel and lower the prices of fish. The best answer we bring to deal with the inflation that is raging all over the world is competition through reduced tariffs and cheaper imports from the rest of the world. Reducing the tariff on fish is A further step to the reduction of duties on various products as part of the 'zero duty' reform that I have been leading in recent months."
Avigdor Lieberman.
"Ahead of Rosh Hashanah we bring good news", photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The Israel Fish Growers Association warns: "Ministers Forer and Lieberman decided today to dry up the Israeli aquaculture industry in a final and irreversible way."
Eli Sharrir, CEO of the Magadi Hadim organization, added that "the decision of the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture to sign a sweeping order to lower the customs duty on all fish imports to Israel, was made unilaterally and without agreements with the growers, as is customary, on an alternative and clear outline of fair and long-term direct support that will guarantee The future of the Israeli fish farming industry and the ability to provide fresh and quality Israeli fish to the citizens of Israel.
This is a step that will lead to the irreversible elimination of the State of Israel's ability to produce and supply fresh fish to its citizens and a dangerous dependence on imports, precisely in an era when all the countries of the world are working to strengthen local production capacity."
The fish breeders' organization stated that the ministries of finance and agriculture have summoned the breeders to meetings regarding an agreed outline for lowering the customs duty this coming Wednesday.
"The conduct of the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture behind the backs of the farmers and without a sincere and genuine attempt to reach agreements, raises serious concerns that this is a populist step that is entirely an election economy, on the back of an essential branch of agriculture that has been operating for over eighty years, even before the establishment of the state and employs hundreds of workers in the peripheral areas" he continues muscle.
"We know from past experience that lowering the customs duty goes mostly into the importers' pockets and does not lower the price for the consumer, but this lowering will lead to the complete elimination of the Israeli fish farming industry, from Dan to Eilat."
The lowering of the customs duty has already led to a 20% decrease in the number of farms
The fish farmers' organization stated that in recent years, since the lowering of the duty on the import of tilapia, mullet and carp, local production has already suffered a fatal blow.
According to them, there has been a 21% decrease in the breeders' income and as a result a 20% decrease in the number of farms active in the industry, abandonment and drying of pond areas, most of which are spread out near the country's borders, for the resulting ecological and security consequences - a decrease of about 26% in the scope of local pond fish production.
The organization further explains that this actually led to a reduction in competition, leaving the supply chain in the hands of a small number of private companies, an even greater dependence on imports, and as a result, prices skyrocket and will continue to rise in the future.
On the other hand, the president of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, attorney Uriel Lin, welcomed the decision: "I congratulate Minister of Finance Lieberman for his decision to cancel the customs duty on a range of edible fish, including packaged tuna.
In my opinion, this is one of the most important moves in the fight against inflation, as it deals with basic food prices and popular consumer products, which are of great importance in the food basket of Israelis.
I emphasize that on July 24 of this year I addressed the Minister of Finance with a proposal to cancel the customs duty on basic food products on which the customs duty rate exceeds 12%, including the tuna fish.
It should be noted that the import of tuna to Israel in chunks has been exempt from customs duty for years and what remains is only the duty on the import of tuna in cans.
It was an obvious distortion that should be canceled.
This move is good news for a broad public in Israel."
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