Cyprus may provide Israel with agricultural produce during the upcoming shmitta year.
The Ministry of Agriculture in Nicosia announced Monday that it was in talks with Israel on supplying vegetables to offset the 12-month ritual hiatus in farming in the Jewish state that begins in September.
Cyprus provided alternative produce to Israel during the last Shmitta year, 2000. Israel had also looked to Palestinian farmers in the Gaza Strip to provide vegetables during the 12-month fallow period, but that was scuppered by the Hamas takeover of the territory in June.
Shmitta, ordained in Leviticus, takes place every seven years. Agricultural experts believe it helps boost harvests.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
