The Knesset’s Economics Committee met today (Tuesday) to discuss changes to regulations proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture. The changes are being made in light of the shortage Expected in the eggs on Passover, which resulted from the mass extermination of birds due to the outbreak of bird flu several months ago.
The fear of shortages has led to a significant increase in production quotas for 2022 of the pre-centralized economy in Israel. However, to date not a single new production quota has been distributed, despite some 300 quota applications recently submitted.
The new regulations are intended to help distribute quotas by facilitating regulation. As part of this, kibbutzim will be able to receive new quotas, battery chicken coops will also be able to receive new quotas (as opposed to cages without cages only), 70 crush quotas will be distributed to national priority areas to keep chicken coops apart and prevent severe bird flu outbreaks. In addition, it will be possible to convert a chicken coop into a lamb coop.
The committee’s chairman, MK Michael Bitton (blue and white), opened the discussion with harsh words, as in the discussions at the end of December the Ministry of Agriculture and industry representatives were unable to reach agreements on the desired outline, and the negotiations he mediated did not help. In his eyes, this is a marginal issue that does not need to be wasted time on: “Even if we reduce the eggs by 10%, it will save only NIS 100 per family.”
In addition, Bitton stressed that “in this round there will be no changes in consent that are not in the consent of all bodies,” meaning he is in effect giving a veto to the Poultry Board and breeders’ organizations on any new regulatory regulations that will be applied to them.
“Clear preference for a pressure group”
Elad Malka of the “Our Interest” public lobby was angry at this statement and told Globes that “Bitton’s decision to veto the lawmakers on approving the clauses, not only is a clear preference for a narrow pressure group at the expense of the entire public, it also violates the democratic principle – no one chose In the representatives of the Poultry Board to the Economics Committee – in the Knesset members, yes. “
In addition to increasing local production quotas, the Ministry of Agriculture has approved particularly large import quotas of about a billion eggs for Passover, and according to Bitton, “apparently, the large imports this year should solve the shortage, but now also want to change regulations.”
But according to Naama Kaufen-Pas, director general of the Ministry of Agriculture, “Regarding import quotas, there is a difference between the realization of imports and the bureaucratic part of import approval. The difference between a quota of a billion eggs and its realization is significant. “I create an option for myself according to the shortage, and I do not want to create a situation where I have to constantly increase the quota according to the situation.”
In addition, the director general of the Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that she “wants eggs to be produced in Israel at the local level and not to be imported. “The purpose of the repairs is to make it easier to populate chicken coops where poultry should be raised. If we do not make the repairs regarding production in Israel, we will really have to depend on imports, and there may be a shortage of eggs in the State of Israel.”
As Chairman Bitton demanded the consent of the Ministry of Agriculture and representatives of the laying industry, he took them out of the room for negotiations. Hopefully they will reach an agreement on regulations that both parties will sign.
Bitton sent the ministry and industry representatives for direct negotiations without the need for mediation, and only later will we know what will come out of it – if at all.