Jordanians to grow Israel's produce
Photo: Tomeriko
Shmita year: Jordan farmers to the rescue
Jordanian farmers to grow vegetables under Israeli supervision for consumption of religious public during sabbatical year
Jordanian farmers will grow vegetables for Israeli consumption under Israeli kashrut supervision next year, and thus help solve the difficulties associated with the sabbatical year (shnat shmita) ahead.
According to the Torah, during the shmita year farmland in the Land of Israel has to remain uncultivated.
A group of Bnei Brak yeshiva students came up with the creative solution, which is meant to help reduce the expected sharp increase in vegetable prices due to the shmita prohibitions.
The group approached the Jordanian Agriculture Ministry through mediators, and it was agreed that Jordan would lease farm land to Israel, where vegetables will be grown by Jordanian workers supervised by Israeli agronomists.
In addition to solving the religious issue of shmita, the initiative will also lower the cost of vegetables due to the close proximity to the Israeli market and the relatively low transport expenses, and also provide work for Israeli agronomists, who would have remained jobless otherwise.
