Argentina, which has enforced one of the world’s toughest travel bans against the coronavirus, plans to help charter a private flight to bring in rabbis from Israel to certify meat at the country’s packing plants for kosher markets around the world.
The trip is key to Argentina being able to maintain beef exports to key buyer Israel, which has become increasingly important with exports stalled to the European Union and sharply down to major buyer China.
Argentina is the world’s fifth largest beef exporter and Israel is the No. 3 buyer of its famed cuts, snapping up over $100 million each year.
In normal times, up to 15 Israeli rabbis travel to Argentina twice a year and stay for a few months since there aren’t enough local rabbis with expertise in kosher slaughter to handle the volume. Argentina is currently allowing only citizens to enter the country.
Argentina has banned commercial flights until September, allowing only citizens and residents to enter on special flights and has imposed a strict national quarantine.