WEST BANK: Different varieties of dates planted and produced in Jericho go on display at an exhibition aimed at promoting agricultural production in the West Bank

Record ID: 564718

  • Title: WEST BANK: Different varieties of dates planted and produced in Jericho go on display at an exhibition aimed at promoting agricultural production in the West Bank
  • Date: 3rd November 2013
  • Summary: PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER RAMI AL-HAMDALLAH CUTTING RIBBON TO OPEN EVENT AL-HAMDALLAH TOURING EXHIBIT DATES IN BOX
  • Embargoed: 18th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Business,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA9EHLCSLNOBQ009EZOLERW7RNA
  • Story Text: The date palm has long been the symbol of Jericho.
    Now, the tree's precious fruit is being celebrated, with an exhibition displaying all the varieties grown in the local region.
    Paying tribute to the crop, Prime Minster Rami al-Hamdullah said dates were fast becoming one of the most important agricultural products to be planted and sold by Palestinians.

    "Supporting agricultural production in the Jericho area and Jordan Valley is of utmost importance to the government's programme, which concentrates mainly on developing different sectors and providing the tools for residents, especially in Jericho and the Jordan Valley and the rest of the areas called 'C,' that are subject to Israeli violations and hostile actions," he said at the one-day event.
    Palestinians have self rule in so-called Area A, which makes up 18 percent of the West Bank, and share responsibility for a further 21 percent in Area B. But the resource-rich Area C, making up some 61 percent of the West Bank, is administered by Israel and is home to many Jewish settlements.
    Despite the difficulties, al-Hamdullah said Palestinian farmers were managing to produce more and more dates each year.

    "Over the years, we have made significant progress in the planting of date palms and we have increased the amount that is produced as well as the amount that is exported. This year, we expect our exports to Arab and foreign countries to reach around two thousand tonnes, one thousand tonnes more than last year," the prime minister said.
    Agriculture in the West Bank makes up five percent of the GDP and employs 16 percent of the labour force. Farmers not only deal with ever-higher costs of fertilisers and equipment, but also restrictions on movement and delays at checkpoints that make it difficult for their goods to be competitive.
    Israel has also taken over and built many agricultural settlements in the Jordan valley, which produce dates and other products that compete on the world markets.
    But farmers in the desert city of Jericho, near the border with Jordan, say they have overcome many of the obstacles in their way and have managed to produce a top-quality product.

    "The Palestinian date has been able to take its place in the international markets and this is something that we are proud of. Our main competitor is, in fact, the Israeli occupation - they take our lands in the Jordan Valley and build settlements on it and produces dates.
    This is our chance to show the world that the Palestinian farmer is better off investing in his land and producing high quality dates," said the head of the local date cooperative, Zuhair Manasra.
    Jericho's fertile land and subtropical climate makes it an ideal location for the cultivation of not only dates, but also oranges, bananas and figs.
    The palm trees that produce Jericho's precious dates need little water, and once planted, take three years before they start to bear fruit.
    The head of the local farmers' union said it was a growth industry.

    "This is a very promising crop and a crop that is ever-growing. We have a good area, which is around 12,000 dunums (3,000 acres). We also have close to 160,000 trees. Last year, we produced some 2,300 tonnes and this year we will have some 3,000 tonnes. In the coming years, we expect to go beyond 10,000 tonnes since 50 percent of these trees are not yet bearing fruit," said Ahmed al-Faris.
    With the EU increasingly vocal in its criticism of Jewish settlements, and the EU's Executive Commission announcing it will bar financial assistance to any Israeli organisation operating in the West Bank from 2014, Palestinian farmers are optimistic for their future.
    They hope they will be able to further expand their date crop in the coming years, eventually emerging as one of the main players on the international market.
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