Gaza war impacts have led to a strawberry deficit in Tokrem and dominance of Israeli produce due to farming restrictions.

Jerusalem

The recent conflict in Israel has had significant repercussions on the Palestinian agricultural industry, particularly affecting the production and availability of strawberries. The war's consequences have resulted in a noticeable strawberry shortage in Tokrem, a region where this fruit is a key agricultural product. This shortage stems from the farming restrictions imposed in the wake of the conflict, which have severely limited Palestinian farmers' ability to cultivate and harvest their crops.

Additionally, these restrictions have also paved the way for the dominance of Israeli produce in the market. With Palestinian farmers unable to produce and supply enough strawberries and possibly other agricultural goods, Israeli products have filled the gap, gaining a strong foothold in the market. This shift not only impacts the local Palestinian economy but also disrupts established agricultural practices and trade dynamics in the region.



Israel war affects Palestinian agriculture industry

The smell of sweet strawberries wafts through this family-run farm in Tokrem, where farmers are working fast to fill a shortfall. The usual imports from Gaza have stopped, leaving a void in the local market of Palestinian produce. The business was so lucrative in Gaza, the fruit was known as red gold. The sweetest were grown in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahya, where Al Jazeera filmed four years ago. Now the war has destroyed farming communities, and everyone in Gaza is threatened with starvation. Experts say military hardware and bombs have damaged the soil for many years. The destruction of the farms and soil is wide due to the military vehicles, and there will be years of destruction because of the material used in the explosives and phosphorus bombs used there. This will affect the land and water for the long term. Back in Tokrem, farmer Mouath Abou Mariam says harvesting the fruit has become increasingly dangerous. The soldiers are protecting the Israeli settlement here, and we don't know what they could do. They may pick up their guns and start shooting. They targeted our neighbor's car with live bullets when he was trying to go to his farm. We are driving to another part of Mouath's land. We were turned back earlier in the morning as the farmers said Israeli soldiers were there. It's dangerous to grow produce here. About 400 meters away is an illegal Israeli settlement that's protected by Israeli soldiers. Farmers here say since October the 7th, when they've attempted to access their land, they've often opened fire at them. This fruit is ripe for picking, but it's sometimes left to rot. In this Ramallah market two hours south, farmers from Gaza would compete every year with Israeli produce to fill the stalls. Even though the amount coming from Gaza would often vary depending on Israeli restrictions, the fruit was popular with buyers. I feel profound grief. I'm speaking, but my heart is shattering. This is the first time I have bought strawberries this season, but I'm not sure if I'll enjoy them. With increasingly tighter restrictions on local farmers, they're not able to produce enough to fill the shortfall so Israeli strawberries still fill these markets. Meaning this sweet fruit for so many is a reminder of a bitter reality. Lora Khan, Al Jazeera, Occupied West Bank.

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