Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 134)

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Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 134)

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256
are tailored essentially for intensive almond production,
Possibly under irrigation.
Modest fertilizer use and proper application of weed killers,
coupled with effective insect control schemes is likely to
raise productivity and reduce seasonal variations in production.
Poor marketing structure. There are several loop-holes in the
Present marketing structure of almonds. The following problems
were voiced by most sampled respondents:
a. The almond trade with Jordan and Israel is dominated by a
few middlemen who are in a position to earn a substantial
margin, much higher than that commensurate with their services.
Loosening this cartel is a great step towards giving
producers a fair share of almonds’ sale price.
b. Marketing of West Bank almonds in Amman faces several
problems. Besides constraints resulting from elaborate
permit procurement procedures, local produce suffers even
more from competition with almonds imported from such countries
as the United States and Cyprus. By virtue of a much higher
Productivity, these countries are easily able to undercut
West Hank prices. As the almond is a luxury good consumed
by higher income strata which are not too sensitive to
possible price rises, and since almond growing affects
Classes of Palestinian peasants which are most vulnerable
to Israeli economic policies, it is politically reasonable
to seek more stringent measures on almond imports into
Jordan from foreign countries. This argument carries
further weight in view of widely held suspicions that much
of Jordan's imported almonds come in fact from Israel, via
4 third country.
257
Qther trees
The discussion has so far covered olives, grapes and almonds, which
are by far the most important of all common rainfed trees with
regard to their area and share in agricultural income. However,
there are many other kinds of trees which, though currently of
minor significance, may possess large potential under different
circumstances. The following is a brief review of the most common
of these trees, with emphasis on their comparative profitability,
Problems, and prospects for the future. The data on areas and
Output is derived from the files of district offices of the
Department of Agriculture and from the Agricultural Atlas of Jordan.
Profitability estimates are derived from a 1979 study published
by the Economic Planning Unit in the Department of Agriculture.
1+ Plums
Total area is estimated at 32,275 donums (1980) versus 14,230
donums in 1966. Production has also increased in the same
Period from 3,770 to 18650 tons. More than two-thirds of
411 plum orchards are grown in Hebron and Ramallah districts.
Plum production expanded rapidly in the seventies, mainly in
the upper hills of Hebron and Ramallah districts. The main
reason for that was the high returns earned from exports
to Israel. Hut most recently it has been noticed that local
Supply, particularly of early maturing varieties, has exceeded
demand which hence led to a sharp drop in prices and
Profitability. A 1979 study of profitability has shown
differences among late and early varieties. While the former
Netted JD 42.5 per donum, the latter netted only JD 30.1.7
ee
1, F
2 Agricultural Atlas of Jordan, op cit, p 116.
* The Economics of Common Farming Enterprises,op cit, p 6.

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Agricultural Development in the West Bank

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Hisham Masoud Awartani

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