(Ha'aretz) Ora Coren - Black tomatoes, banana-yellow eggplant and purple beans are some of the agricultural innovations on display this week at the Arava Open Day Agricultural Exhibition near Moshav Hatzeva. There are also personal-size watermelons and seedless bell peppers. The purpose of these new varieties, with their unusual appearance and higher nutritional value, is to enable Israeli farmers to better compete in the world market as the global health trend grows stronger. "To compete in the world market, you have to innovate in color and nutritional value," says Alon Gadiel, research manager for Central and Northern Arava Research and Development, which is hosting the exhibition. "The new produce is richer in anti-oxidants and vitamins than the existing produce. It tastes better and looks unique, so its cost and agricultural profit are higher."
2013-02-01 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive