Israeli dairy formers went on strike today creating a severe shortage of milk and its by-products. The purpose is to pressure the government to end its subsidy of imported frozen veal which competes with home-raised poultry. Milk was available, however, for hospitals, the army and infants.
The subsidy has kept the price of veal low, resulting in a sharp drop in the sale of poultry, thousands of tons of which are in cold storage. The farmers want price parity to stimulate poultry sales. The government, however, intends to maintain the subsidy and the farmers are threatening to withhold other produce from the market. In addition to dairy, they have already cut down on potatoes. The Ministry of Commerce supports the government’s stand while the Agriculture Ministry is backing the formers. The public is bearing the hardship.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
