Gaza flowers embargo

Gaza’s embargoed roses: the dark years

For two and a half years, under heavy blockade by Israel, Gazan flower-growers were forced to give away their produce as cattle feed. The crippling embargo – on flowers at least - has now been lifted.

The export of flowers came to an abrupt halt in 2007 when Israel declared Gaza a “hostile entity”. But finally, on December 11, 2009, Israel allowed the first shipment, destined for the European market, to go through. Some 35 million flowers will have been exported by May. The figure before 2007 was 65 million.

Gaza has been an important centre for growing carnations, roses and chrysanthemums since 1991. They are produced at some one hundred farms in Beit Lahia in the north of the enclave, and Rafah in the south. Most of these flowers are exported to the Netherlands, where they are sold on to the wider European and Russian markets. Our observer recalls the black years for the flower market in the Gaza Strip.

Gazan workers harvest carnations in one of the enclave's huge greenhouses.

"Many growers preferred giving their flowers away as cattle feed rather than destroying them"

Gazan blogger Amir Ismail has written on the effect of the dark days of the Israeli blockade.

For two decades the Gaza Strip has exported millions of flowers to the West. But the situation deteriorated seriously in the past three years. Horticulturalists’ greenhouses were bombed during the war and power cuts and water shortages compounded an already difficult situation.

But the biggest obstacle has been the blockade. Growers had to wait in hope that the gates to the enclave would be opened. Meanwhile their flowers would wither and become unsellable.

Many growers preferred giving their flowers away as cattle feed rather than destroying them. Unable to export, flower growers had to turn to the local market. But Gazans, deprived of almost everything by the blockade, had little cash to spare for a luxury like flowers, forcing the farmers to sell at ridiculously low prices despite the high cost of production.” (Editor’s note: 1,000 square metres of flowers costs 6,000 euros to produce).

A bouquet of Gaza's famous carnations.

Sorting the flowers after the harvest.