Farmers warn: water supply disruption could lead to crop loss

The Israel Farmers Federation appealed on Tuesday to Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter, and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Eli Cohen, demanding urgent intervention following disruptions in the supply of fresh water for agriculture across large areas of the country.

According to the Federation, supply disruptions in the Shfela region, the Judean Hills, the south, and the Negev are occurring in the midst of the growing season and could cause irreversible damage, mainly to vegetables and orchards that are just days away from harvest. The Federation warns that hundreds of agricultural farms, many of them family-owned, could be harmed and lose both crops and their source of income.

"Alongside the understanding of the need to prioritize drinking water, it is impossible to leave Israeli agriculture without water and the farmers without certainty and without a response," the Federation stated, noting that every additional day without regular supply increases the damage and risks total crop loss.

Chairman of the Israel Farmers Federation and Secretary-General of the Moshavim Movement Amit Yifrach, and Secretary-General of the Federation Or Dorman, demanded that the government act to reduce the disruptions, map and document the damages, and formulate a dedicated compensation framework for the affected farmers.

"The State of Israel cannot inflict such severe damage on Israeli agriculture and the food security of us all, and leave the farmers alone in a time of crisis. The farmers continue to produce food for the citizens of Israel even in emergency conditions, and now the state must stand by them," they said.

The Federation is also calling for an urgent meeting of relevant government officials to formulate a solution for water supply and an economic response for the affected farms.