Israeli Export Institute Announces Recent Advances in Agrotechnology

TEL AVIV, Israel, March 30, 2005 -- Farming isn’t what it used to be. And in Israel, whose agrotechnology industry leads the world in pioneering new technologies to improve the growing and harvesting processes, farming is downright high-tech. Newly introduced agrotech solutions include vacuum removal pest control, computerized phyto-monitoring sensors, and a cooling system for cows that has boosted milk production by 10% during the region’s hottest months. And those are just the tip of the agrotech iceberg, says the Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute’s (IEICI) Agrotechnology Department (http://www.export.gov.il/Eng/SubIndex.asp?CategoryID=286).

“Israel’s agricultural sector is characterized by an intensive system of production stemming from the need to overcome the scarcity of natural resources, particularly water and arable land,” explained Ronit Golovaty, an IEICI Agrotechnology Department executive. “The constant growth in Israeli agricultural production is due to the close cooperation between researchers, extension agents, farmers and agriculture-related industries. These four factors develop and apply new methods in all agricultural branches. The result is modern agriculture in a country whose area is more than half desert.”

Other Israeli agrotech advances in recent months include: sophisticated colored nets that enable farmers to control growth characteristics of plants in greenhouses by using the full light spectrum; electrochemical technology to allow chemical-free hydroponic growing; an automated air-jet process for extracting the juice-filled avrils from pomegranates; and using low-volume irrigation to apply liquid organic fertilizers and compost. Other new technologies are detailed at http://www.export.gov.il/Eng/_Articles/Articles.asp?CategoryID=399.

And the ideas keep coming, said Golovaty. “In the near future, we can expect to see more new technologies from Israeli researchers and agrotechnology companies,” she stated. “There are already some exciting products ready to hit the market, include a melon-picking robot and irrigation systems that could replace traditional water-wasting flood irrigation.”

About the IEICI

The Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute is a non-profit partnership between the private sector and the Israeli government’s Ministry of Industry and Trade. Through the IEICI Department of Agrotechnology’s Web site (http://www.export.gov.il/Eng/SubIndex.asp?CategoryID=286), the organization plays a key role in promoting cooperation between foreign and Israeli agro-entrepreneurs and companies. To help companies around the world access Israeli agribusiness, the IEICI provides information about the newest Israeli agrotechnologies for any agricultural project and facilitates contact with the leading Israeli companies in the field.

Contact Information

Ronit Golovaty

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Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute

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