Conditions in the Argentine: Jewish Colonists Not Badly Affected by Unsatisfactory Harvest

The General Direction here of the Jewish Colonisation Association (Ica) has received information from the Argentine that in the district of Santa-Isabel (Entre Rios colonies), although the harvest has not given completely satisfactory results and the produce may have to be sold at comparatively low prices, in consequence of the world crisis affecting the agricultural market, the colonists of this group have not been much affected materially by the inferiority of the crop. Realising the advantages of engaging in the subsidiary branches of agriculture in order to guard against the risks of a bad harvest, and convinced that the future holds out excellent prospects for them in intensive cultivation, dairy-farming and fruit-growing, the colonists have been making considerable progress in this direction. The Ica has received very encouraging reports on the growing of maize, earth-nuts, sudan grass, etc. The orange plantations and mandarin orange groves are also doing well in the majority of cases.

It appears from a study which has been specially made on the economic position of the colonists settled in the period from 1920 to 1929, that the majority have saved on an average more than 2,500 dollars.

Several particularly significant cases show in a striking manner, the results obtained in some of the comparatively new workings. One colonist settled in 1923 on an area of 50 hectares now owns seven hectares of orange and mandarin groves valued at more than 4,000 dollars; this colonist has in addition 5,000 dollars in savings. A colonist settled in 1927 on an area of 75 hectares now has 492 trees valued at 1,800 dollars, and in four years he has saved more than 4,000 dollars. Another, settled in 1926 on 75 hectares, has saved more than 4,000 dollars and owns half a hectare of good quality vine-growing land.

A study which has been made on the position of the “quinteres”, established from 1923 to 1929, is also on the whole excellent.

The families coming from Transylvania, who were settled in the Argentine by the Ica in 1929 and 1930 have become acclimatised to the conditions of the country and constitute a good element. Economical and hard-working these new colonists have already sown flax, maize, sudan grass, vegetables and a little manioc, and have planted about a hectare of mandarins, of which they take great care, following the advice given them by the Ica agronomes who have been initiating them into the particular methods employed in the Argentine.

All these families of settlers make a very fine impression and the letters which they have been sending to their parents in Transylvania are most optimistic.