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| A pair of Palestinian farmers harvest olives near Israel's separation wall. A report from the organization Oxfam said that the true potential of the olive sector stagnated because many Israeli policies that restrict the movement of farmers to markets both within and outside the country (Photo: Middle East Online) |
A report said the olive sector, "which contributed to 100 million dollars (7.14 million euros) in annual revenue for some of the poorest Palestinian communities, could bring a brighter future for the Palestinian economy, making its full potential is realized."
The report, titled, "The Road to Olive Farming: Challenges to developing the economy of olive oil in the West Bank," (The Road to Olive Farming: Challenges for Developing Olive oil economy in the West Bank) is, blaming Israel for restricting access to land agriculture and olive trees.
"About 40 percent of the West Bank is effectively off limits to Palestinians, with access strictly prohibited, with respect to settlements, outposts, walk around, military bases, closed military areas and areas that Israel has been announced as a nature reserve, "the report said.
For centuries, Palestinian olive farmers have become a great commercial results and predicted to be one of the best in the world.
"With limited investment, and simple changes in farming methods, Palestinian olive farmers could double their incomes and produce a consistent production of high quality olive oil able to compete at home and abroad," Jeremy Hobbs, executive director of Oxfam International , was quoted as saying.
"However, such investments can have little impact except for Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, abstain from acts that prohibit Palestinian farmers from access to their lands and livelihoods gear, and headed for foreign markets," he added.
The report called on Israel to end the restrictions on access to land and headed for the markets.
"Barrier-physical barriers, such as checkpoints and blocking roads, preventing the free movement of people and goods within the West Bank Palestinians and cut production of oil, including olive and olive oil, out of internal Israeli market and International market , "the report said.
The report adds that attacks by Jewish settlers in the West Bank or harassment on Palestinian olive farmers "are common and often increase during times of harvest."
"Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip filed has also affected the import olives and olive oil from the West Bank at large."
The report also called on the Palestinian Authority and donors to support Palestinian olive oil producers to increase investment in the sector.
"The lack of appropriate resources and ineffective management, combined with environmental factors and paraktik fakor practices have led to less production penyendatan in its development," Oxfam said.
According to Oxfam figures, about 45 percent of agricultural land in the West Bank and Gaza is planted with approximately 10 million olive trees.
The report said that all trees have the potential to reach 34 000 tonnes produced olive oil in a good year, and 5,000 tons in a bad year, with an average annual rate between 2001 and 2012 and 2012 about 57,000.
Harmful impacts of Israeli policy also includes a disanksikan settler violence by the government, events in which Israeli settlers have uprooted or burned tens of thousands of olive trees during their attacks against Palestinian farmers.
Source: Reuters
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