Jerusalem, 23 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security reported that the water exemption rate for agriculture in 2025 will be 2.93 Shekels ($0.84) per cubic meter, reflecting a decrease of between 25% and 57% from the exception rate last year, to the average cost price of a cubic meter of fresh water. The decision, it explained, was made at a meeting held over the weekend at the Water Authority Council during a discussion on the water fee rate for agriculture for 2025.
The lack of precipitation last winter (2024-2025) led many farmers to over-irrigate in the first months of the year, encouraged by the Water Authority to increase the amount of water in the soil. In fact, Mekorot reported that farmers increased their water consumption in the months of January to March 2025 by an average of 18%.