Cultivated Farm Area in Jewish Owned Lands in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 378. Chapter IX: Agriculture: Section 7: Jewish Agricultural Settlements: Table 5

CHAPTER IX.

Period of years

Rate of interest per annum

40-50 30

20

up to 10 years

2% 3% 4% 5%

174. The importance of the Keren Hayesod in relation to Jewish colonisation is shown by the extent of settlement which it has financed, almost wholly on J.N.F. land, as follows:

1922 1936 1944

Number of settlements 25 __ 7_6_ ~

Population therein 2,205 19,008 44,708

Area cultivated (in dunums) 65,000 245,000 447,000

Number of cows (improved breeds) 750 8,040 16,040

Number of poultry 6,800 175,500 302,400

In effect, the Keren Hayesod has been responsible for the establishment (1944) of 59% of the number of the Jewish settlements in Palestine. 31 % of the Jewish rural population live in these settlements; they cultivate 44% of the total area cultivated by Jewish farmers and possess one half of the livestock in Jewish ownership.

175. The position thus is that most of the individual farmers and some of the cooperative and communal settlements were established with P.I.C.A. funds; with those exceptions, all the cooperative and communal settlements were established with Jewish national funds. Regardless of their origin, all the settlements and settlers in the course of their development (particularly in recent years) have had recourse, as they became credit-worthy, to commercial banks and institutions to finance their continued expansion and consolidation. The present relationship (1944) between the three main forms of settlement is shown below :

Table 5.

Number of-I Total I Total population cultivated area {in dunums)

Individual 44 I 76,000 299,000 (including citrus)
Cooperative 99 29,500 179,000
Communal 111 33,500 235,000
Schools and I
farms 5 4,000 4,000
Total 259 143,000 717,000
176. Together with the general Services of the Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, which are available for all sections of the people, and the Kadoorie School at Mount Taboz,

Page 378