Finance Minister Moshe Kachlon added a sweetener to the Jewish New Year for the business community, signing an order this week authorizing a Customs tax exemption for the import of 560 tons of honey to the Land of Milk and Honey.
The order, a temporary measure until the end of 2017, is said to be necessary due to expected shortages in the domestic market.
The order applies to two different types of honey imports:
1. 400-tons comprised of industrial-sized containers each filled with more than 50 kg of the sweet stuff, designated for food manufacturers. This commercial order is usually not exempt from an import tariff and is taxed at NIS 10.60 per kg.
2. 160 tons comprised of smaller personal containers of up to 1.5 kg a piece, usually taxed at NIS 16.33 per kg.
The order by the Tax Authority submitted in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, officially goes into effect upon its publication in the Registry.