West Bank: Nearly one million Palestinian consumers, farmers and traders benefit from three newly rehabilitated wholesale fruit and vegetable markets

JERUSALEM/CAIRO – Upgraded wholesale markets in Bethlehem, Nablus and Tulkarm launched this week, improving the marketing and affordability of fruits and vegetables for about 900 000 people annually across the West Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has announced.

The launch took place during an event in the lead-up to World Food Day, under the patronage and presence of H.E. Prime Minister Dr. Mohammed Mustafa; FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Near East and North Africa Dr. AbdulHakim Elwaer; Deputy Ministry of Agriculture; Ministers of National Economy, Industry, Interior; Tulkarem Governor; Local Government; and senior representatives from European Union, Denmark, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

Reform, renovations and managerial improvements to the Nablus and Tulkarm wholesale markets have been implemented under the Multi-Donor Agribusiness Programme – Phase II (MAP II), funded by the EU, Denmark, Spain and Switzerland. Investments in the Bethlehem wholesale market are financed by Italy.

“Through MAP II, the EU, Denmark, Spain and Switzerland, together with Italy, are committed to supporting the agri-business sector in Palestine. Support to wholesale markets is a proved method of building more resilient livelihoods, welfare and economic growth for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who rely on them to put food on the table every day”, said Anne Louise Grinsted Klinkby, Head of Mission at the Danish Representative Office in Ramallah.

^{Newly upgraded Tulkarm wholesale market. @FAO/Alaa Badarneh.}

“The launch of these markets comes in time with World Food Day, which marks the anniversary of FAO’s founding in 1945 and is celebrated this year under the global theme ‘Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.’ Since FAO began its work in Palestine in 2003, we have learned a great deal from Palestinian farmers, traders and communities, whose capacity to innovate has enabled them not only to survive, but to grow and thrive. These markets are a tangible expression of that spirit,” said AbdulHakim Elwaer, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, speaking remotely from FAO HQ in Rome.

When FAO began supporting the modernization of wholesale fruit and vegetable markets in 2019, it became clear that many lack adequate covered space to shield produce from the sun, cold storage and refrigeration, renewable energy and proper solid waste management. As a result, they have high food waste and operating costs, limiting the daily services they provide to thousands of traders.

In response, FAO and its resource partners invest in the markets along the following key pillars:

1. Governance: more inclusive markets for women traders and farmers and greater coordination with local governments
2. Management: more transparent, cost-efficient operations and management
3. Infrastructure, services and logistics: includes cold storage, industrial scales for weighing produce, shading over the main trading areas, rainwater cisterns, solar panels, solid waste management and spaces dedicated to women-owned shops

“These markets are where the farmer’s effort turns into income. With cold storage, solar energy and better management, we expect to reduce food losses by around 20 percent and benefit about 900,000 people across Bethlehem, Nablus, and Tulkarm. Through MAP, we are investing in practical, measurable solutions that help Palestinian agrifood systems withstand today’s challenges and grow stronger for tomorrow,” said Dr. Azzam Saleh, Head of Programme, FAO West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In addition to the wholesale market innovations, the projects are providing sustainable investment support grants, sharing the cost and risk of investments with nearly 400 small and midsize Palestinian agribusinesses. Agribusiness investment support is co-funded by the Government of Canada.

“The success of the wholesale central markets and the small businesses we are supporting are essential to sustain them as strongholds of food security and livelihoods. Italy is proud to join Denmark, the EU, Spain and Switzerland in this multilateral effort to promote the Palestinian agrifood sector’s recovery and resilience amid the current crisis”, said Mirko Tricoli, Head of Office, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Jerusalem.

All of the investments under the projects are implemented in close partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture and the relevant municipalities, ensuring strong national ownership and alignment with local development priorities. This collaborative approach supports the long-term sustainability and effective management of the markets, reinforcing FAO’s commitment to strengthening resilient and efficient agrifood systems across Palestine.