Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 314

Government, when promulgating the law, disregarded the observations submitted to it by agriculturists from all communities with a view to obviating misunderstandings in the future. Considerable financial assistance has been given by the Government for research work in the Agricultural Experimental Station in Rehoboth on citrus plants, cattle-feeding and intensive cultivation. This assistance will undoubtedly be of great benefit in the future to the whole agricultural community in the country. 8. Outstanding among the various institutions which actively assisted in the development of Jewish agriculture in the country are the Central Co-operative Bank, the Workers' Bank, and the " Nir " company. (a) The Workers' Bank granted credits in 1934 to the existing agricultural settlements to the extent of £P. 91,888, and for new colonisation £P. 59,909. By the end of 1934 the agricultural settlements were owing £P. 100,000 to the bank. The credits are advanced for one to seven years at 7 per cent, to 9 per cent, interest per annum. (b) The Central Co-operative Bank had in February, 1933, twenty-three agricultural co-operative customers, viz., ten credit and agricultural societies in the* smallholding settlements, and thirteen Kvutzoth, all of which were owing £P. 30,315 to the bank. Of this amount £P. 25,096 consisted of short-term loans (thirteen customers), and £P. 5,219 long-terms (ten customers). In March, 1935, the customers of this bank numbered fifty-six,, viz., seventeen credit and agricultural societies, three water societies, thirty-four Kvutzoth and two customers' societies. The loans ad'vtnTéUTôthe"IBôvëâ^ûntêîto <£P. 60,724, of which £P. 37,150 were short-term loans and £P. 23,684 were long-term loans.- The short-term loans are advanced for 1-2 years, mainly for turnover capital, and long-term loans for 3-10 years for productive purposes, viz., the purchase of cows, the extension of plantations, etc. In general, 60 per cent, of the loans are advanced for constructive purposes. In 1934 this Bank reduced the rate of interest from 8 per cent, to 7 per cent. (c) "Nir." The "Nir" company granted long-term loans to the agricultural settlements at 7 per cent, interest, for cows, plantations, buildings, irrigation, etc. Thanks to these loans the settlements reached their present satisfactory state of development. In this connection mention should be made of the Farmers' Bank recently opened which will undoubtedly be of great benefit to the farmers of the colonies and of the " Emika " company, which was formed with the purpose of establishing agricultural settlements in the country. As a beginning this company helped to settle thirty-five families in Beer-Tuvia, of which twenty-seven were of old workers and eight were immigrants from Germany. The company is prepared to invest in this undertaking from LP. 350 to £P. 400 per family. 3H