Israel wastes food products worth billions of dollars each year amid high poverty rates and a general shortage of resources.
MOSCOW
(Sputnik) — Israel destroys food products worth billions of dollars
each year amid high poverty rates and a general shortage of resources
in the country, Israeli media reported Saturday, citing a state
watchdog's report.
The report said that about 25 billion shekels ($6.5 billion) in food is wasted in Israel annually, slamming the government for making too little effort to address the problem, the Haaretz reported.
"Food loss is a worldwide problem, which has a wide-ranging impact on society, the environment and the economy. In Israel, which suffers a constant shortage of resources, high rates of poverty and food insecurity and huge landfills relative to developed countries, addressing the problem would lead to significant change," the report reads as quoted by the Israeli newspaper.
The state watchdog also accused the country's Agriculture Ministry for inaction in reducing the fruit and vegetable harvest leftover, which leads to thousands of tons of crops being destroyed every year.
According to the study, the harvests that are being destroyed to keep the balance between food supply and demand and maintain high prices, could be used to feed the poor Israeli families, suffering from food shortages.
The idea was echoed by Eran Weintrob, the director of the Latet non-profit that provides food aid for the poor, who was quoted by the Haaretz as saying that establishing a national initiative for food security and using nothing but the country's existing resources would help save money and feed tens of thousands of poor families.
The report also noted that Israeli Health Ministry fails to enforce the rules for marking the food products with sell-by dates in accordance with the standards, which makes consumers understand such terms as "best to use before" incorrectly and throw away the products that could still be consumed.
The Israeli Agriculture Ministry responded that it cannot interfere when farmers themselves destroy harvests, admitting that food is being destroyed without the ministry's permission and a lack of transparency in the issue.
The report said that about 25 billion shekels ($6.5 billion) in food is wasted in Israel annually, slamming the government for making too little effort to address the problem, the Haaretz reported.
"Food loss is a worldwide problem, which has a wide-ranging impact on society, the environment and the economy. In Israel, which suffers a constant shortage of resources, high rates of poverty and food insecurity and huge landfills relative to developed countries, addressing the problem would lead to significant change," the report reads as quoted by the Israeli newspaper.
The state watchdog also accused the country's Agriculture Ministry for inaction in reducing the fruit and vegetable harvest leftover, which leads to thousands of tons of crops being destroyed every year.
According to the study, the harvests that are being destroyed to keep the balance between food supply and demand and maintain high prices, could be used to feed the poor Israeli families, suffering from food shortages.
The idea was echoed by Eran Weintrob, the director of the Latet non-profit that provides food aid for the poor, who was quoted by the Haaretz as saying that establishing a national initiative for food security and using nothing but the country's existing resources would help save money and feed tens of thousands of poor families.
The report also noted that Israeli Health Ministry fails to enforce the rules for marking the food products with sell-by dates in accordance with the standards, which makes consumers understand such terms as "best to use before" incorrectly and throw away the products that could still be consumed.
The Israeli Agriculture Ministry responded that it cannot interfere when farmers themselves destroy harvests, admitting that food is being destroyed without the ministry's permission and a lack of transparency in the issue.
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