Pitchon Lev CEO calls for price controls in face of rising food prices

• Published date: 31 October 2023

Eli Cohen, the CEO of Pitchon Lev, made this plea during a discussion held by the Knesset's Economic Committee. He emphasized that the surge in basic food prices not only affects the level of support for soldiers, security forces, and families in southern and northern settlements during wartime but also exacerbates the plight of families already living below the poverty line.During the discussion, Cohen pointed out that the sharp rise in prices of essential food items poses numerous challenges that are becoming increasingly difficult as the conflict continues. Among these challenges are a growing number of people falling into poverty, an intensification of poverty within families already struggling, and a reduction in assistance to many families not previously in the organization's care, such as evacuees and those on the periphery

"We are dealing with the reality of an increase in basic food prices, which not only affects the scope of aid to soldiers, the security forces and the families of the southern and northern towns during the fighting, but also harms the families living in poverty, who since the beginning of the fighting have become even weaker," Cohen said.

Calling for emergency price controls on basic consumer goods, Cohen presented data showing a substantial increase of over 67% in lentil prices, a rise of about 28% in bulgur prices, approximately 20% in dried bean prices, a 42% increase in the price of a kilogram of rice, a staggering 74% hike in pea prices, among other examples.

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