Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 363

C. Vegetable Growing. 1. Vegetable growing is a comparatively new branch in the settlements. The old colonies and the Jewish National Fund farms paid very little attention to vegetables, and only with the development of irrigation on larger tracts of land did the settlers cultivate vegetables on a larger scale. The small beginnings in vegetable growing that were made in pre-war times in the Jordan valley were insignificant, although they laid the foundation for the training of the very few experts on vegetables in the country. A number of experts have since arrived from abroad. The beginnings of vegetable growing in the settlements were made in an unsystematic way, as the settlers adopted both Arab and European methods. This branch requires knowledge, devotion, knowledge of marketing conditions, etc. In Europe it is considered that a successful vegetable grower must have at least seven years' experience. The Extension Service was the pioneer in explaining the problems of vegetable growing to the settlers, by a course of lectures on the method of irrigation, crop rotation, suitable soil, marketing conditions, etc. The work of the Extension Service and the goodwill shown by the settlers themselves, proved successful. In 5692, 1,100 dunams of the national settlements were cultivated for vegetables; in 5693, 1,500 dunams, and in the current year, 2,800 dunams. Half of this area is in the Kvutzoth, mainly in the Jordan valley, in the Valley of Esdraelon and in the Haifa district, where irrigation conditions are favourable, water is cheap, and the climatic conditions make it possible to grow early vegetables. Even in the south individual settlers recently began to grow vegetables, especially the new settlers from Germany. It is estimated that from 600 to 800 people are engaged in vegetable growing for marketing purposes, many others grow vegetables for their own requirements. 2. The Settlements' Income from Vegetable Growing. According to the figures published in the report of the Tenuva,. the latter sold vegetables in recent years for the following amounts : In 5691 ............ fP.11,427 In 5692 ............ £P. 17,425 1 In 5693 ............ £P.20,952 In 5694 ............ £P.25,500 The estimate for 5695 is £P. 40,000-50,000. These figures show a more rapid increase than the corresponding increase of the vegetable land, which is due to both larger yields and a rise in prices. 3. In the Jordan valley the most suitable place for early vegetable growing, winter vegetables take first place, especially tomatoes, the yield of which is 5 tons per dunam, and they bring an average income of £P. 40-45 per dunam. This fruit is frequently affected by cold and also by the hot eastern winds which are prevalent in this zone. As to the other kinds of vegetables. 363