American Market for Palestine Matzos Sought by Rothschild Factory in Haifa

Negotiations for finding a market in America for Palestine baked Matzos are progressing, according to Mr. Samuel Aaronsohn, representative of the Rothschild Flour Mills of Haifa who came to the United States for this purpose. Mr. Aaronsohn is stopping at the Grand Hotel.

If Palestine matzos succeed in finding a way into the homes of as many as 600,000 Jewish families, it would be possible to put 1,350,000 dunam land (300,000 acres) under cultivation and a strong and vital industry, giving employment to tens of thousands of workers, would spring up in Palestine, Mr. Aaronsohn declared.

At present one-third of the land cultivated in Palestine by Jewish farmers must be sown in cercals, mainly wheat. This forced cultivation is carried on at a loss in view of the inability of the Jewish farmers to compete in the local market. An overseas market must therefore be sought for this crop. For this reason, Baron Edmund de Rothschild, who has always come to the rescue of agricultural Palestine, erected the Haifa flour mills and matzos factory for the purpose of buying up this wheat at better prices, to be sold to special customers. Baron Rothschild is not seeking profit in this enterprise.

The plant is a six-story building and at present employs 120 unskilled laborers, 80 skilled laborers and an administration staff of 12. The capacity of the mill is a daily output of 30 tons. At present the mill is turning out only 10 tons. If American Jews will appreciate the significance of giving preference to Palestine baked matzos, this would result first in enabling the Jewish farmers to hold the area of, land now in their possession, to increase the number of dunams under cultivation and lay the foundation for a gradual and speedy development of a great industry which would increase the capacity of the country to absorb a greater volume of Jewish immigrants.