With an investment of NIS 40 million: a new capital investment route will be opened for regional packing houses in the Western Negev

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security announced this morning (Tuesday) the opening of a new capital investment route for the optimization and automation of regional packing houses in the Western Negev with an investment of NIS 40 million.

The joint program for the Ministry of Agriculture, Takuma Directorate and the Investment Authority of the Ministry of Economy and Industry is intended for capital investments for the optimization and automation of regional packing houses, and it is launched as part of the implementation of Takuma Directorate’s five-year strategic plan.

Agriculture is one of the main anchors for the economic, settlement and social development of the Western Negev. The investment plan for the agricultural packing houses is designed to strengthen the handling, sorting, processing, packaging, and marketing capabilities of the area’s farms.

The grantees of the program will be entitled to packing houses that operated in the area under the responsibility of Takuma Management as of October 6, 2023 or new packing houses that are incorporated in this area. Packing houses that will be included in the program will be able to benefit from a grant of up to 40% of the scope of the investment. The route will be opened for submitting applications from October 6, 2024 at 09:00 until November 5, 2024 at 13:00.

Assaf Itzhaki, director of the agriculture team at Takuma Administration: “The regional packinghouses are an important part of the agricultural system in the West Bank, and a significant factor in the value chain. After a long period of time this sector rarely received government investments, we are working together with the Investment Authority of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Agriculture to provide a solution Important and necessary. Investing in technology and automation will increase the volume of marketed produce and its quality, reduce dependence on manual workers and allow for more competitive prices for the consumer.”

Yossi Steinberg, Deputy Director of the Investments and Finance Division: “The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is investing in more advanced and sustainable agriculture as part of the reconstruction of the Habol Takuma region, and offers an additional route that will allow the promotion and implementation of more efficient and advanced technologies in the upgrading and construction of packinghouses. The office also works to assist the farmers of the Takuma region in a wide variety of fields while investing in technologically advanced and innovative infrastructures and modern and advanced mechanization.”

Shlomo Atias, director of the Investments Authority at the Ministry of Economy: “Government cooperation allows us to continue helping the rehabilitation and development of economic activity in the Takuma region. We are now launching a new aid route with the aim of supporting agriculture in the region by providing grants to regional packing houses. The grants will be given to upgrade the infrastructure and improve capabilities technologies and it joins the Investment Authority’s routes, which are intended, among other things, for the Takuma region, and we hope that these steps will contribute to the acceleration of economic growth in the region.”