Israel Launches Tender for Duty-Free Import of 5,900 Tons of Cheese
Israel's Ministry of Economy has launched a tender to import 5,900 tons of duty-free yellow cheese for 2027 to boost market competition and lower consumer prices.
The Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry has launched a tender for the duty-free import of 5,900 tons of yellow cheese for 2027, aiming to foster market competition and lower consumer prices. This quota matches the allocation distributed in December of last year.
Under the terms of the tender, approximately 4,070 tons will be assigned to importers who commit to selling the cheese at the lowest prices, both at deli counters and in pre-packaged shelf units. The remaining volume will serve as a bonus for importers offering the most competitive rates, though without a mandatory price ceiling on the additional batch.
The ministry has decided to expand the bonus quota in the current tender to incentivize importers to push prices down on the primary competitive volume. Officials hope this financial mechanism will help maintain affordable consumer prices despite rising costs in the global dairy market.
Previous competitive procedures held in recent years yielded retail prices ranging between 2.90 and 3.40 NIS per 100 grams at deli counters, and between 3.00 and 3.50 NIS per 100 grams for pre-packaged goods. In August, the ministry expanded the quota scheme to include independent grocery store owners and minimarkets lacking dedicated deli counters.
During that round, the ministry distributed 880 tons of duty-free yellow cheese, with winners including Global Retail, which operates the Carrefour chain in Israel, and Euro Dairies. These companies committed to marketing the cheese at a maximum price of 4 NIS per 100 grams in their stores and up to 4.5 NIS per 100 grams at other retail outlets.
