A Survey of Palestinian Industry: Zionist/Jewish Dairy Products in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 517. Chapter XIII: Section 4:

CHAPTER XIII.

Although the olive crop is subject to fluctuations in yield, nevertheless, by husbanding the crops from year to year, there is always an adequate surplus for olive oil export, either in the form of soap or as refined oil, both of which enjoy a high reputation. Improved methods of picking the olives and treating and storing the oil will assist in renewing and expanding the export possibilities, particularly to Empire markets.

132. In 1943, 25 ,000 tons of vegetable oils were produced, about half of which was derived from imported oil seeds crushed almost entirely in Jewish factories; the other half was obtained from local olive and sesame crops which were handled in the main by Arab enterprises. Of the oil available, about 7 ,200 tons were employed in the production of soap, 3,700 tons were converted into hardened oil for margarine, and 12, 700 tons were consumed as edible oil; the bulk of the latter being refined in two large Jewish factories.

133. Dairy products. In the Arab community manufacturing of dairy products on a modern has is hardly exists. Surplus milk (especially sheeps' milk) during the spring and summer months is converted into hard white cheese, preserved in brine for consumption in off-season months. But even in the Jewish community milk is consumed mainly as fresh milk, only relatively small surpluses being converted into dairy products such as butter, cream, cheese and sour milk.

134. Statistics relating to the manufacture of dairy products are available for Jewish dairies only for the year 1942. For subsequent years some indication of production can be had from the annual reports of the Tnuva Ltd., the marketing organisation for the Jewish communal and co-operative farms, which operates three large dairies in the three main towns.

JEWISH DAIRY PRODUCTS, 1942.

I I Pasteurized

No. of milk

dairies (1000 Itrs.)

Sour milk (1000 Hra.)

I Butter I Cream I Cheese

tons tons tons

11,738 11,134 95%

1,731 1,249 72%

I 3961 71211,466

267 609 888

67% 86% 61 %

All dairies Tnuva

Tnuva as % of total

The number of workers employed were 404 and the value of output amounted to £P.l,039,000.

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