Jerusalem, 25 August, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Tkuma Directorate announced a project aimed at helping farmers return to their orchards and plantations in the Tkuma region, the areas near Gaza. As part of the project, the ministries will provide financial reimbursement to farmers for essential operations that have been and will be carried out in the future in orchards and citrus groves to eradicate and eradicate pests and diseases.
The project to strengthen plant protection the fight against pests assists approximately 10,000 acres of agricultural crops, half of which are used to grow citrus fruits, and about a quarter to grow avocados. Additional crops that will be included in the project are: sabra, mango, passion fruit, pomegranate, wine grapes, pitaya, papaya and peach.
In parallel with the project, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Plant Protection Services continue to carry out additional horizontal activities in the Tkuma region, to improve plant health and the ecosystem surrounding the growing areas. Among other things, the ministry will assist avocado growers in the area to carry out professional supervision of their plantations.
The ministry is also working to suppress the common castor bean plant – an invasive plant, in order to prevent its spread in crops such as avocado, citrus, pomegranate and peach. Furthermore, the ministry has placed 200 nesting boxes for skunks that will serve as natural exterminators of rodents that are harmful to agricultural crops.