Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 187)

غرض

عنوان

Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 187)

المحتوى

361
the Executive Office for the Affairs of the Occupied Territories =
both affiliated to the government of Jordan. The duty of both
offices is restricted to issuing permits for West Bank products
destined for Jordan's markets. They are assisted for this
purpose by a team of seven official residents in all West Bank
districts who issue to exporters certificates testifying to the
Arab origin of goods intended for export to Jordan.
Undoubtedly, the present marketing set-up leaves much to be
desired, even at the level of regulating exports to Jordan. A
major step in the right direction would be the establishment
of the Agricultural Marketing Bireau (AMB) as an apex institution
entrusted with problems of agricultural marketing in the occupied
territories. The AMB would be established by a decision taken
by the Joint Palestinian-Jordanian Committee and would be placed
under its jurisdiction in a way similar to that of Palestine
Agricultural Credit Corporation.
The AMB would assume and consolidate all duties relative to the
flow of West Bank agricultural goods into Jordan. This would
include supervizing resident inspectors in the occupied
territories, issuing permits, and running entry inspection
terminals on the Jordan side of the bridges. The suggested change
in permit issuing mechanisms will hopefully help expedite the
flow of Palestinian goods into Jordan and attend to several
loop-holes in the present system.
In addition to its regulatory functions, the AMB would try to
expand the export potential of Palestinian produce. This would
involve launching an aggressive campaign aimed at exploring new
markets and expanding old ones. The AMB should use for this
362
purpose all sorts of modern promotional techniques, especially
short films taken on Palestinian soil. In addition to advertizing
the superior quality of produce, promotional campaigns might
even emphasize the political connotation of the so far un
exploited slogan of "Buy Palestinian to help Palestinians stay
at home"!
The PLO can certainly exercise some influence in negotiating
for better terms of trade with friendly partners, especially
s most of them are making little progress in meeting their food
shortages. It might be appropriate to annex commercial attaches
to some of the PLO's offices in the Middle East.
The researcher cannot give a detailed statement on the
administrative and financial consequences implied by the suggested
Structural reshuffle and the establishment of the Agricultural
Marketing Bureau. Such an assignement should be delegated to an
exploratory team of experts designated by the Joint Committee
itself.
Although the AMB is viewed as an important addition to
Palestinian's pre-independence infrastructures, Jordan would
‘Still be able to safegard its interests through its effective
Partnership in the Joint Gommittee. Accordingly, it would be
unlikely to veto the proposed structural change in marketing
arrangements.
Exercising tighter control on wholesale markets
The largest proportion of farm products going into agricultural
trade are handled through wholesale markets of fruit and
vegetables in neighbouring toms, such as Tulkarm, Galgilia,

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Agricultural Development in the West Bank

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المنشئ

Hisham Masoud Awartani

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