Agriculture in Gaza Disapproves Israeli Impossible Requirements of Exporting Tomatoes from Gaza

Gaza, MINA – The Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza approved that everything mentioned in the “Israeli Coordination” Page regarding the requirement of marketing tomatoes without crowns under the pretext of their involvement of diseases are pure lies.

The Ministry confirmed that tomatoes that are exported from Gaza to the West Bank conform to marketing standards and of high quality.

In a press statement, the Ministry indicated that the Israeli requirmemts of marketing tomatoes from inside Gaza to the West bank without crowns are unjustified decision, which comes within the Israeli occupation polices to increase the blockade imposed in Gaza since 15 years, as well as to destroy the agriculture sector in gaza under unjustified and unjust pretexts.

In its statement, the Ministry refuted the Israeli claims regarding removing tomatoes crowns, as it confirmed that exportation of tomatoes from the Gaza Strip was not recently.

Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, there have been no obstacles regarding the products quality in contrast to what Israeli occupation claimed.

The ministry called on the international institutions concerned to intervene urgently to prevent this unfair decision and stop the aggressive Israeli occupation policies against the agricultural sector in the Gaza Strip, stressing that if the occupation insists on its unrealistic requirements for marketing the tomato crop, it will take specific measures in response to the Israeli intransigence.

It indicated that all the countries that Gaza agricultural products reach, receive these products at high quality and free from any pests or pesticide residues, as well as the products are accompanied by phytosanitary certificates.

The Ministry proved that no previous complaints were received from these countries in particular.

According to specialists in the Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza, unlike the common plant diseases in Palestine, there are no new pests or diseases discovered in the tomato crop. (L-K-G/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)