Browse Data and Analysis

Israel does not have a policy restricting the use of imported genetically engineered (GE) commodities or derivative products. There are no changes in Israel’s policy towards plant, animal biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology since 2023.

The beef sector in Israel is growing and is heavily reliant upon imports. Israel’s lack of grazing land for cattle and an increasing population are the main factors contributing to the growth in demand for beef imports.

With over 2,500 facilities, the Israeli food processing sector is an important player in the domestic economy. In 2022, Israeli food processors' annual revenue stood at $23.19 billion.

The legal and regulatory situation to allow the planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops in Ecuador remains the same as 2023. Commercial cultivation of GE crops is not permitted, however cultivation for research is allowed and an exception exists for GE products without recombinant or foreign DNA in the genome.

This report supplements GAIN report IS2-24-0020: Israel Adopts Additional European Union Standards for Agricultural Imports and includes translations of the documents from Hebrew to English referenced in the report.

On August 4, 2024, the Government of Israel published the “Tenth Amendment to the Protection of Public Health (Food) – 2015” legislation under the Food Reform Law, which adopted more than 40 new food directives and regulations aligning with European Union standards.

Israel is a net importer of all major categories of food products. The Israeli food retail sector was estimated to be $20.7 billion in 2023, and during the same year, Israel imported around $4.96 million of consumer-oriented products.

Central Asia is a diverse, important corner of the world and a growing market for U.S. goods. Agricultural imports from the world for Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan totaled $11.6 billion in 2023 and have nearly doubled over the last three years, with the United States as the 11th largest trade partner at $196 million.

The Exporter Guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in Israel.

This report lists and describes certificates and other documentation required by the Government of Israel for U.S. exporters exporting food and agricultural products to Israel.

This report identifies Ecuador’s import requirements for foreign export certificates, highlighting current procedures and identifying the relevant local agencies with oversight over these issues.

The Government of Israel is in the process of a legislation reform across multiple ministries, including reforms related to food. If the reforms are passed in the Israeli parliament, the reform will continue to adopt numerous European Union food standards with some exclusions.