DAR SALAH, Palestinian Territories // As Palestinians seek to fill gaps in the agricultural market – both for business purposes and to cut reliance on Israel for food – one farmer has turned to rearing ostriches, while a group of former high-tech workers have developed the “first 100 per cent Palestinian mushroom”.
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The four friends produce some four of five tonnes of the Amoro mushrooms – after which the project is named – every month. Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP Photo -
A Palestinian employee picks the mushrooms, which sell at an average of US$2 (Dh7.3) for 250 grams, against $2.50 for Israeli mushrooms. Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP Photo -
The entreprenuers say their project is undercutting Israeli producers and helping to give consumers more of a chance to boycott Israeli goods. Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP Photo -
Ostriches stand behind a fence at the farm set up three years ago by fifty-year old Palestinian Abdulrahman Abu Tir, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Musa Al Shaer/AFP Photo -
Mr Abu Tir keeps 200 of the birds – seen here being fed by a worker – on two hectares of land in the village of Dar Salah. Musa Al Shaer/AFP Photo -
The Palestinian farmer, whose name translates as “father of the bird”, collects ostrich eggs which he will then sell on to Palestinian and Israeli buyers, as well as customers in the Gulf and Jordan. Musa Al Shaer/AFP Photo -
Ostrich meat is not a common delicacy among Israelis or Palestinians but Mr Abu Tir is optimistic that his business can grow and is currently negotiating with the Palestinian agriculture ministry to expand the farm. Musa Al Shaer/AFP Photo
West Bank farmers turn to ostriches and mushrooms – in pictures
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