The Plants Council warns consumers: Don't buy this Israeli fruit now

The Plants Council is warning consumers against purchasing local kiwi of the 'Hayward' variety that has reached shelves unripe, after several growers rushed to pick and market it before it matured. Kiwi table chairman Shai Golani explains that Israeli kiwi is only picked and marketed starting in October, and that early picking harms consumers and fair growers. The council has appealed to farmers to cease immediate marketing.

The Plants Council issued a warning this morning (Tuesday) to consumers not to purchase local kiwi of the 'Hayward' variety that has reached shelves unripe. According to the council, several growers rushed to pick and market the fruit before it reached proper maturity. Shai Golani, chairman of the kiwi table at the Plants Council, explained that Israeli kiwi is only picked and marketed starting in October, after passing all mandatory tests. He noted that some local growers rushed to market early (unripe) fruit, and that this harms consumers first and also damages fair growers, who are the vast majority. The council directly appealed to those farmers and asked them to cease early marketing immediately. 'Hayward' kiwi is the most popular variety in Israel and worldwide, grown mainly in the Galilee and Golan, with the official harvest season opening in early October to ensure optimal sugar levels. Early picking harms fruit quality and prevents it from ripening properly.