Manufacturers Association: In H1 food imports grew three times faster than exports

food exports in the first half of 2006 totaled $359.5 million, 3.1% more than in the first half of 2005. MAI also noted that trade deficit in food in the first half of 2006 was up 22.3%
 
Manufacturers Association's Food Industries Association chairman Ron Kobrovsky said last week that Israel’s food imports grew three times faster than its food exports in the first half of 2006.
 
In a press release published early last week the Manufacturers Association of Israel (MAI) noted that food exports in the first half of 2006 totaled $359.5 million, 3.1% more than in the first half of 2005.
 
Food imports in the first half of 2006 totaled $591.7 million, up 9.9% than in the first half of 2005.
 
The MAI also noted that trade deficit in food in the first half of 2006 was up 22.3% to $232.2 million.