Gaza strawberry industry study

Gaza strawberry growers target most of their resources on the fresh fruit export window during November and December, but only one-third of production is exported, leaving the rest to be sold in local markets at little value. This narrow marketing strategy generates profits, but is very vulnerable to market and production fluctuations. Expanding and diversifying markets would allow growers to select new varieties and to modify their propagation strategies in order to enhance productivity and reduce risks. Accordingly, this report makes recommendations for modifying and expanding the rootstock, fruit production, and marketing components of the strawberry industry. Major recommendations are that the growers: (1) establish a second source of mother (foundation) stock, which is currently supplied by only one nursery; (2) introduce new varieties that could extend the fruiting system and improve fruit quality, either by working with Israeli authorities to ease quarantine regulations on importing plants or by increasing varietal field trials (or both); and (3) diversify their markets by developing a fruit processing capability (especially to include strawberry freezing), promoting trade of strawberries with Jordan and other neighbors, and developing markets for the months of January through March.