Damage to Israel crops from the current dry spell already totals 12,000,000 pounds and may reach 20,000,000 pounds if rains do not come soon, a spokesman for the Israel Treasury reported today. He said interim relief for the stricken areas of 3,500,000 pounds would be granted in the form of lower water rates and subsidized grain prices.
An urgent call for help for areas hit by the continued drought, which damaged fields and orchards especially in the southern part of the country, was issued here today at an emergency meeting of the agricultural settlements. The meeting was called following the resignation of a special committee appointed some time ago to coordinate aid to the stricken areas through government agencies. The committee tendered its resignation after it was unable to obtain the necessary funds for the affected settlements.
Delegates at the meeting reported today that the Mekorot Water Company has discontinued water supplies after settlements lacking funds were unable to pay earlier water bills. The situation of the Negev Beduins was reported deteriorating today and an urgent appeal for help signed by seven sheikhs of the larger tribes was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture. Many of the Beduins started moving northward seeking suitable pasture land.
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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.
