The grape harvest this season is expected to yield 45,000 tons, seven percent more than the previous year, according to Grape and Wine Council director Tzachi Dotan. Israeli farmers cultivate grapes on approximately 11,000 acres from the Golan Heights to the southern Negev. More plantings are expected following the Sabbatical year of Shemittah, when planting is prohibited by Jewish law.
One of the reasons for the increase in plantings is the growing demand for wine, as Israel's wine industry captures more attention on the world market. Exports of wine bottles are estimated at $30 million, 20 percent of the sales of Israeli wine.