Palestinian farmers began harvesting strawberries readying their first shipments of the fruit to the West Bank. The export of strawberries from the Gaza Strip is described as “an adventure” and will prevent farmers from suffering large losses. From the West Bank, the goods are expected to be sent to Europe.
“The past years have seen a significant decline in the cultivation of strawberries because of delayed export, closure of the crossings on a continuous basis and the high cost of planting,” the Ministry of Agriculture said. It added that the cultivation of one hectare costs about $2,500.
Last year, Russia imported strawberries from Gaza for the first time, Ahmed Al-Shafey, the CEO of the Gaza Agricultural Cooperative for Producing & Marketing told middleeastmonitor.com.