“Since the inception of our farm, operating costs have increased year by year, while the wholesale price we have received for produce has remained the same throughout the last 50 years,” says Avi Payne, owner of Payne Farm. “Other agricultural farms encountered the same problem, and thus, many farms decided to close their operations and the number of farmers decreases year by year. The reason is simple: there is no economic viability. For example, the price of our peaches is sold to chains for an average of 4 shekels per kilo, while the growing and operating costs reached 3.5 Shekels and in certain periods over 4 Shekels. It’s either lose money or return the investment, which basically means we lose.”
Mesk Fain is an old agricultural farm that has existed for over 100 years in Givat Ada, since the beginning of Zionism, and is currently managed by the patriarch of the family Avi Fain and his son Matan, the sixth generation of Israeli agriculture. In 2016, during the agricultural protest and the turmoil surrounding the brokerage gaps, the farm began to independently market its produce by selling directly from the farm yard, with the aim of saving the business from collapse and to allow the public to purchase directly from the farmer without brokerage gaps. In light of the growing demand, in 2019 the farm opened an indoor market with an area of 1,200 square meters in the Shafiim outdoor complex and it is active 7 days a week.
“Our economy was involved in the export of sak and pomegranates for years, but year by year the expenses increased, the dollar/euro exchange rate was low and the payoff at the end of the day did not justify the large expenses,” Avi shares. “Furthermore, the financing costs for the next harvest year have been added. This is how it happens that every year we have to take loans from the bank at high interest rates and are forced to place the best of our money on the ‘deer fund’, for the reason that there is no guarantee of the price we will receive for our produce next year. The only thing that is certain in the field of agriculture are The expenses that increase every year.”
“That’s why,” he explains. “We had to recalculate a course. After a long period of thinking, we decided to market the produce ourselves, save the marketing and brokerage gaps along the way and offer the public higher quality produce at a fair price. This way we can exist in a respectable way on the one hand, and offer a higher quality product to the end customer on the other hand.” According to him, “In order to go on the move, we knew that everyone had to volunteer for the task, and so it was. All the family members arrived on Shabbat and we started selling the fruits directly from the farm yard in Givat Ada.”
“Over time, the customers wanted a richer basket than 2-3 types of fruits this season, and we decided to expand the basket of products,” says Avi. “First we integrated local farmers and marketed their produce. Later, when demand grew, we expanded the circle of farmers and started working with farmers from all over the country, from the Arabah to Metula.”
Avi says that “the farmers who work with us receive a fair price that allows them to live with dignity. The price translates directly to customers who receive a fair price for quality produce. This way, we strengthen local agriculture.” In conclusion, Avi says that they “aspire to open several more sales premises and later increase the number of farmers who work with us”.
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