Haaretz, Israel’s leading English-language daily, reports that the Minister of Agriculture has approved a bill that allows the import of honey garlic, a plant used to make garlic butter, in an attempt to stem a global pandemic.
The bill also includes provisions to increase the number of certified kosher farms in the country, which have been a major contributor to Israel’s dairy industry.
Israel has imported a total of 8,813 metric tons of honey from around the world last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, which is required to report this data annually to the Knesset.
The government is currently trying to import more honey garlic to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
The legislation also allows the government to allow import of other crops in order to prevent the spread.
Israel currently imports approximately 80 percent of the world’s honey garlic and honey in order for the honey to be used in the production of the butter.
However, it is estimated that a major portion of the imported honey garlic could be used to produce the butter, according the Knesseset.