<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[2 million flowers in Gaza to rot if crossings not&nbsp;opened]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<table width="100%" align="center">
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<td><span class="PublishedDate">[ 					12/04/2011 &#8211; 05:59 PM ] </span></td>
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<p><img src="https://i2.wp.com/www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/DataFiles%5CCache%5CTempImgs%5C2011%5C1%5Cimages_News_2011_04_12_Gaza-flowers_300_0.jpg" alt="" /></div>
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<p style="font-size:10pt;">GAZA, (PIC)&#8211; Heads of the flower and  berry societies, agricultural relief workers and farmers met on Tuesday  to discuss the impacts of Israel&#8217;s closure of Gaza crossings on the  export of wild flowers and berries to foreign markets.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Two million flowers are stored in  refrigerators waiting to be exported to foreign markets in addition to  vast tracts of flowers which have not been harvested and are prone to  damage.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Dean of flower and berry producers Mahmoud  Khalil said they met to think about the possibility of cultivating the  lands in the coming season in light of the current recession in this  business.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Khalil noted that high temperatures greatly  affected the cultivation of flowers in addition to the international  financial crisis that hit the European markets.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">He stressed the need to have Gaza crossings  reopened in order to export them directly to the European markets and  avoid causing farmers daily losses.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">The dean asserted that 30 million flowers  were supposed to be exported this year, but only 10 millions found their  way to European markets.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7DoGHfy7vHlzWAuAM9TSTvci9LojIqnbXf5ZQfIgKVsCGSxcfoEtk13LGMohxPmZ0UFvk0fpXbgsg1aeADT1JZWk3RIHNzaYfwVIaIcyPIlY%3d">Source</a></p>
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