British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 353

CHAPTER IX.
(4). Loans by Government to increase the. production of _food during the war (1940-1945).

103. In view of the large extent to which Palestine was and is dependent on imported supplies of foodstuffs a special drive was made during the war years to stimulate the local production of food in order to conserve shipping and reduce imports from overseas. With this primary object in view, loans were made to farmers as under :-

Year

Arrears on [Collections

30.9.45 %

1940-41 I £P. £P. £P. £P.
104,735 88,539 86.440 2,099 98%
1941-42 221,555 174,452 165,715 8,737 95%
1942-43 359,805 268,415 248,886 19,529 98%
1943-44 165,4831 91•;:~ I 84,91~ 6,831 92%
1944-45 5,000 800 180 81%
856,578 623,529 586,153 37,376 94% 104. With minor exceptions, the rate of interest charged was 6% per annum. The purposes for which the loans were issued are detailed below :-

Short term loans (repayable in 1-2 years).

For deep ploughing of land for cereal cultivation

For purchase of implements and fertilisers

For purchase of grain seed Long term loans (repayable mostly in five years)

For purchase of irrigation equipment;

for the growing of vegetables and fodder; and the raising of livestock, including purchase of calves and sheep

For diversification of farming in citrus areas (mainly vegetables and poultry, etc.)

For growing oil crops, legumes, cereals, vegetables and fodder under improved rotation

For erection of cold storage plants For establishment of auxiliary farms Purchase of tractors

Purchase of fishing boats and gear Production of seed at Rehovoth

Total

353

LP.

LP.

195,000

120,000 85,000

400,000

176,000

72,000

96,000 59,000 28,000 12,000

7,000

~ 456,000

856,000