JENIN AND JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS FACE LOSSES DUE TO

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000869

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/HIRSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: JENIN AND JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS FACE LOSSES DUE TO
SPOILAGE, DENIED ENTRY, AND CUSTOMER NONPAYMENT

REF: JERUSALEM 220


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: FARMERS FROM JENIN AND THE NORTHERN
JORDAN VALLEY COMPLAIN THAT CHECKPOINT DELAYS, MISHANDLING OF
PRODUCE, LIMITED CROSSING HOURS, AND LACK OF TRAVEL
PRIVILEGES TO ISRAEL ADVERSELY AFFECT LOCAL AGRICULTURAL
TRADE. JENIN FARMERS ALSO COMPLAIN THAT ISRAELI AUTHORITIES
ARBITRARILY USE LABORATORY TESTS TO PREVENT ENTRY OF
PALESTINIAN PRODUCTS. THE JIFTLIK FARMERS UNION SAID THESE
PROCEDURES HAVE LED TO A LOSS OF 50 PERCENT OF PRODUCE SALES
FROM THE NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY, DUE TO SPOILAGE, DUMPING, OR
NONPAYMENT. THEY ALSO WANT THE BISAN/BARDALA CROSSING TO
OPEN AT 4 AM SO THEY CAN REACH ISRAELI PRODUCE MARKETS BEFORE
SHOPPERS ARRIVE. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) ON APRIL 16 IN JENIN, USAID'S PALESTINIAN
INTEGRATED TRADE ARRANGEMENT (PITA) PROJECT CONTRACTORS MET
SAADEH IRSHID, OWNER OF 500 ACRES OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE
FARMS NEAR JENIN AND IN THE JORDAN VALLEY; ADNAN JARADAT, AN
AGRICULTURAL EXPORT BROKER; IBRAHIM HADDAD, MANAGER OF A
FARMING EQUIPMENT FACTORY; AND JENIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
REPRESENTATIVE NASER ATIANI. PITA CONTRACTORS ALSO MET APRIL
25 WITH OMAR ABU HANIEH, HEAD OF THE JIFTLIK FARMERS UNION,
AND EIGHT OTHER PRODUCE FARMERS FROM THE NORTHERN JORDAN
VALLEY.

SPOILAGE AND NON-TARIFF BARRIERS CURTAIL
JENINS AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS
--------------


3. (SBU) ACCORDING TO THE JENIN-AREA BUSINESSMEN, TRUCKS
OFTEN WAIT TO TRANSFER GOODS TO ISRAEL AT CROSSINGS FOR TWO
TO THREE HOURS IN THE MID-DAY SUN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO
THEIR PRODUCE. ECONOFF VISITED THE JALAMEH CROSSING, JUST
NORTH OF JENIN, ON MAY 3 AND OBSERVED THAT ALL GOODS,
INCLUDING PRODUCE, MUST BE PALLETIZED AND TRANSFERRED
BACK-TO-BACK. NEITHER THE CROSSINGQPARKING LOTS NOR THE
TRANSFER AREAS FOR GOODS ARE SHADED.


4. (SBU) THE BUSINESSMEN FEARED THAT DELAYS COULD WORSEN AS
THE SEASONAL HARVEST PEAKS IN THE JENIN AREA, WHEN 1,700
TRUCKS OF CUCUMBERS FROM THE NORTHERN WEST BANK NEED TO REACH
ISRAELI PICKLE FACTORIES IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. (NOTE:
THE HEAD OF THE TRUCK DRIVERS' UNION IN JENIN SAID THAT
OPERATING HOURS OF THE JALAMEH CROSSING HAVE BEEN EXTENDED BY
THREE HOURS DAILY DURING CUCUMBER SEASON. END NOTE.)


5. (SBU) THE BUSINESSMEN ADDED THAT ISRAELI AUTHORITIES
REQUIRE ADVANCE TESTING IN ISRAELI LABORATORIES OF SAMPLES OF
FRESH PRODUCE THAT PALESTINIAN FARMERS INTEND TO EXPORT.
THEY CLAIMED THAT THIS PROCEDURE IS USED ARBITRARILY TO
PROTECT ISRAELI AGRICULTURE BY DENYING ENTRY TO PALESTINIAN
PRODUCE. JARADAT MENTIONED THAT ONE OF HIS PALESTINIAN
CUCUMBER SUPPLIERS SENT IN THREE DIFFERENT SAMPLES FROM THE
SAME FIELD FOR TESTING, AND TWO OF THE THREE SAMPLES WERE
REJECTED. THE BUSINESSMEN REQUESTED THAT AN ON-SITE
LABORATORY BE BUILT AT JALAMEH CROSSING TO IMPROVE
TRANSPARENCY AND REDUCE WAIT TIMES FOR RESULTS.

HALF OF NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY PRODUCE GOES TO WASTE
-------------- --------------


6. (SBU) ABU HANIEH SAID THAT TRUCK DRIVERS FROM THE JORDAN
VALLEY SOMETIMES DO NOT LEARN THAT THEIR SHIPMENTS HAVE
FAILED THE LABORATORY TESTS UNTIL THEY ARRIVE AT THE
CROSSING. HE ADDED THAT THEY ARE THEN FORCED TO DUMP THEIR
GOODS ON THE GROUND.


7. (SBU) THE JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS ASSERTED THAT 50 PERCENT
OF PRODUCE SALES FROM THE NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY ARE LOST,
DUE TO SPOILAGE, DUMPING, OR NONPAYMENT BY ISRAELI CUSTOMERS.
THEY EXPLAINED THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ISRAELI
CUSTOMERS NEVER PAY FOR THE PRODUCE THEY RECEIVE, CLAIMING
BANKRUPTCY OR SIMPLY REFUSING TO ANSWER THEIR PHONES. THEY
OBSERVED THAT VERY FEW FARMERS CAN GET BUSINESSMAN CARDS
(BMCS) OR PERMITS TO ENTER ISRAEL, AND SO THEY HAVE NO WAY TO
SEEK LEGAL RECOURSE IN ISRAEL. PITA CONTRACTORS SAID THAT
THIS PHENOMENON AFFECTS THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ACROSS ALL
GOVERNORATES, AND THEY ARE BEGINNING TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE
LEGAL REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO PALESTINIANS.


8. (SBU) IRSHID STATED THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A
PERMIT TO ACCESS HIS FARMLAND IN THE JORDAN VALLEY FOR TWO
YEARS, AND NEITHER HAVE MANY OTHER JENIN-BASED FARMERS WHO


HAPPEN TO OWN LAND IN THE JORDAN VALLEY. IRSHID SAID HE HAS
LEASED HIS JORDAN VALLEY LAND TO ANOTHER PRODUCER BECAUSE HE
DOES NOT WANT THE LAND TO STAND IDLE.

FARMERS WANT CROSSING HOURS TIMED TO THE MARKET
-------------- --


9. (SBU) THE JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS COMPLAINED THAT THE
BARDALA/BISAN CROSSING, DEDICATED TO AGRICULTURAL GOODS AND
LOCATED IN THE NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY (REFTEL),IS OPEN FROM
11 AM UNTIL 4 PM AND WORKS ONLY HALF DAYS ON FRIDAYS. (NOTE:
PITA CONTRACTORS LATER LEARNED THAT AS OF MAY 11, THE
CROSSING WILL NO LONGER OPEN ON FRIDAYS. END NOTE.) FARMERS
WOULD PREFER THE CROSSING TO OPEN AT 4 AM INSTEAD, SO THAT
THEY COULD GET THEIR PRODUCE TO THE TEL AVIV MARKET BY 8 AM,
WHEN CUSTOMERS FIRST ARRIVE.
WALLES