Due to a surplus of cucumbers in the Israeli marketplace and a weak selling price, farmers insists they are losing money and cannot continue under current conditions. Cucumber farmers in Moshav Achitov, who produce 70% of the nation’s cucumbers insist the situation is untenable as they cannot get enough per kilogram to cover costs while the middleman continues to make a handsome profit at the expense of the growers and end-purchasers, i.e. the consumer.

In a form of protest, farmers on Sunday 30 Nissan distributed 2.5 tons of cucumbers free of charge. The farmers explain the recent huge surplus has compelled them to destroy a great deal of cucumbers.

In a showing of solidarity, eggplant farmers on Sunday joined in and distributed a tone of their product for free. Distribution began at 11:00 at the old train station at David Remez Street in Yerushalayim.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)