Palestinian Arab Owned Citrus Lands in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba),British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 339. Chapter IX: Agriculture: Section 3: The Citrus Industry : Table 3

CHAPTER IX.

of rural property taxes i.e. an annual tax of 400 mils per dunum. The main problems now arising relate to the rehabilitation of the industry (especially the need for irrigation and packing equipment) and of provision of better shipping facilities. The expenditure which will be required on rehabilitation has been estimated by the industry at about £P.30 a dunum but the figure would naturally vary from grove to grove and it is probable that an aggregate cost has ed. on the figure given above would be on the high side. Of the present total citrus area of some 266 thousand dunums, only about 15 thousand dunums are in an abandoned or neglected condition. By analysis of the 1945 grove inspection reports, the area can be assessed approximately as to condition as in table 3. In that table, class 1 represents groves which have been awarded 7 3/4 marks or over, out of a maximum of 15, in condition tests; class 2 represents groves having between 6 1/4 and 7 1/2 marks; and class 3, groves with between q and 6 points.

Table 3.

ARAB-OWNED.

Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Total
dunums dunums dunums duuums
84,315 15,648 5,025 104,988
10,242 1,088 248 11,578
1,916 270 64 2,250
3,582 395 165 4,142
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100,055 17,401 5,502 122,958
JEWISH-OWNED.
Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Total
dunums dunums dunums dunums
70,446 10,279 5,478 86,203
9,997 1,411 1,230 12,638
9,844 1,135 677 11,666
3,353 325 177 3,855
93,640 13,150 7,662 114,352 Variety

Shamouti orange Valencia orange Grapefruit Lemon

Totals

Variety

Shamouti orange Valencia orange Grapefruit Lemon

Totals

There are, in addition, 10,000 dunums abandoned; 5,000 dunums neglected; 3,000 dunums bard pruned (all mostly Shamouti oranges); 5 ,000 dunums in process of being top worked or replanted; and some 7 ,000 dunums under varieties of citrus other than those mentioned. Since 1940, planting of new citrus areas has not been permitted. Possible extension of the export season

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