Tel Aviv, Oct 30 (IANS): Israeli farmers and companies have received permission to export agricultural produce to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to an official statement.

"Following a concerted effort that included talks, exchanges of correspondence and coordination with the UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Israel has received official approval from the UAE authorities to export fresh agricultural produce and propagating material, including seeds," Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry of Agriculture's statement as saying on Thursday.

The Ministry noted that export costs to the UAE will be low due to the geographical proximity between the two countries and the logistical options for transportation.

Minister of Agriculture Alon Schuster said that "the agreement will move us forward toward a future of cooperation in agriculture, not only in knowledge and technology, but also in the direct trade of agricultural produce".

The development comes after the UAE signed normalization deal with Israel at the White House on September 15.

It is the first Arab nation in 26 years to establish formal ties with Israel, after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

On October 25, the Israeli cabinet ratified the normalisation agreement the two nations.