A decade ago, even the most optimistic among the scientific community
from Ben Gurion University, the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew
University and the Vulcani Institute, hardly believed in developing
technologies, that allow farmers in the desert to produce desirable
and exportable qualities of melons and tomatoes. From the altitude of
350 meters above sea level in the desert, where the average annual
rainfall is a scanty 97mm/year, during a recent visit at the Ramat
Negev Desert Agro-Research Center, I witnessed melons grown in the
sand and tomatoes raised in hothouses. Surprisingly, the tomatoes
were sweeter than any I have ever tasted.
Rami Galon, one of five researchers at the Center confirmed that
"that the most important achievement of the research was the
organoleptic improvement of the products using brackish irrigation.
The improved taste was evident in tomatoes, olives, pears and wine
grapes. The "Desert Sweet" tomatoes are sold in many European
countries. Their research has been applied by Negev farmers. The
technology has also been transferred to other countries.
How does desert farming work?
Salinity in water causes "stresses" in plants and results in poor
quality. Drip irrigation, an Israeli development globally exported,
allows cultivation of crops with brackish and saline water. Drip
irrigation assures a continuous flow into the soil. A constant
dilution of the water is maintained. To obtain the proper level of
salinity, fresh water delivered to the Negev, by Israel's National
Water Carrier from the Sea of Galilee, is mixed with brackish water,
obtained from wells in the desert. The wells' depth may reach up to
1,000 meters. In practice the water is pumped from depths of 300
meters, and when brought to the surface the water gushes out at a
temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Water at the lower depths is "clean and bacteria free and has a low
level of salinity. It mixes at depths of 300 meters, to provide the
optimum saline level. One of the keys of successful "desert farming"
was the discovery that using fresh water only during the short
periods when the plant is sensitive to salinity, and brackish water
at other times was the best way. This mixing of water of different
qualities gives superior results.
Throughout the Negev area, which covers more than one fifth of
Israel's total size, but has only one percent of the country's 7
million population, the application of the technologies developed,
are readily visible to the eye with many of the vegetables being
grown in greenhouses.
Of open field vegetables, 25 salinity varieties have been tested,
these include export grade melons and tomatoes. Sweet peppers, are
next in line. A decade of research has resulted in an improvement in
the quality of many fruits and a noticeable higher level of sugar
content, resulting in better taste, and a longer shelf life.
What else is ahead?
E-Commerce Online for Perishables
These include new species of flowers and flower bulbs grown with
fresh, brackish and hot water, all under plastic cover. Grapes for
new wines to be produced from vines already thriving in the Negev
vineyards and irrigated with brackish water.
Farmers, whatever they may be growing or raising, are a hardy lot and
have a keen scent for profits. Eyal Policar, in his 40's owns and
operates a 4-hectare flower farm in Moshav Zofar, in the Arava rift
of southern Israel. "Policar Arava Farms" sell several varieties of
Trachelium, Limonium and Gypsophilia worldwide. In 2000 Policar was
appointed Manager of the Israeli unit of the US World Commerce
Online, Inc., a leader in global "business-to-business electronic
commerce. "When using our e-commerce software solutions, food or
flower producers can streamline their operations. Typically a 15%
saving is the gain. Israel's perishable growing industry could save
as much as $150 million a year", asserts the flower grower turned
into an e-commerce executive.
Flowers grown in the wilderness by Mr. Policar, are shipped to buyers
in the United States.
A newly developed hothouse computer to cellphone system which
monitors various hothouse parameters and developed under Policar's
supervision is about to undergo rigorous trials to determine its
marketability. Mr. Policar just calls it the "black box". The
high-tech system which is intended to alert "farmers" to changing
conditions in hothouses, is the result of a year long research and
development program, involving a group of telecommunication and
software developers.
Israel has attracted attention to its flower growing activities as it
is the world's leader in flower exports to Europe, according to
statistics provided Haim Hadar, secretary of the Flowers Growers
Association. Last year 's flower exports grossed about $1.5
billion, which is about 30% of all flowers imported by Europe.
Israeli flowers have gained a high reputation following many years of
investing in improving flower quality, developing new varieties that
meet customer demand, rapid response to the changing fashions in the
flower world, extending flower shelf life and shortening the
packaging and shipping process.