An expert from the Ministry of Agriculture admitted that Israeli chicken does not meet international standards

The case of importing Brazilian chicken into Israel has received an unexpected development: the chicken meat market remains closed to foreign products, and Baladi’s attempt to obtain permission to import chicken meat from Brazil, from where Israel has been importing beef for many years, encountered stiff resistance from local producers.

According to economic publication The Marker, the company received veterinary approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, but the Poultry Farmers’ Organization filed a lawsuit against the decision, arguing that importing chicken from Brazil poses a public health risk.

The importers provided the court with the conclusion of the head of the veterinary service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Tamir Goshen, who emphasized that Brazilian products are no more dangerous than Israeli ones, and perhaps even superior in quality. Goshen recalled that Israeli chicken meat is not exported to developed countries, including the United States and the European Union, because it does not meet a number of international standards, while Brazilian chicken meets the requirements of the standards and is sold for export.

The head of the Poultry Growers’ Organization, Moti Elkabetz, sharply criticized the position of the country’s chief veterinarian: “If the chief poultry veterinarian in Israel himself discredits the quality of Israeli products, it is better for him to resign.”

One of the main arguments of import supporters is prices. According to the CSB, since 2021, chicken prices in Israel have increased by approximately 33-35%, which significantly exceeds the increase in prices for fish and beef. Baladi claims that opening the market to imports will reduce prices by tens of percent, and the lawsuit by poultry farmers is just an attempt to avoid competition.