Industrial Situation
The political situation; in general, affected negatively the economy in all districts. It destroyed the underlying base of the economy and prevented establishing industrial zones and imposed unfair taxes and supported Israeli economy against the Palestinian one trying to keep the Palestinian economy revolves in the circle of the Israeli one.
This resulted in discouraging establishing specialized factories or workshops except few ones related to textile, carpentry works and metal products for houses and gardens. Despite the hard circumstances new factories had been established in the few years and faced the Israeli competition. The table shows the distribution of factories and enterprises according to the economic activities.
| Economic Activity |
Total |
Economic Activity |
Total |
| Food & Beverage |
57 |
Mining & Quarrying |
377 |
| Chemical Products |
3 |
Leather Bags Factory |
3 |
| Machinery & Equipment |
3 |
Forge Workshops |
23 |
| Carpentry Workshops |
20 |
Metal Products |
81 |
| Non- Metallic Products |
54 |
Textile & Wearing Apparel |
110 |
| Electrical Machinery |
5 |
Furniture |
36 |
Source: PCBS. "Establishments Report, Final Results" 1998.
On the other side, the Chamber of commerce helped in developing the economic situation in the district by:
- Classifying factories and workshops.
- Applying training courses in developing managerial skills
- Workshop participation at both local and international levels.
- Supporting citizens against Israeli taxes and economic closures.
- Finding credit institutions to develop the economic situation.
- Sharing exhibitions and fairs outside the country.
- Coordination with the PNA and other institutions to establish the industrial zone.
- Inauguration branches of Cairo Amman and Arab Banks in Qalqilia
- Establishing a department of Industry and Commerce in the district.
The needs of Qalqilia district to develop and improve the economic situation are:
- Finding industrial zone.
- Economic protection for local products.
- Finding new procedures and rules to encourage investments.
- Reducing taxes on industrial products.
- Finding credit institutions at low interest rates.
- Opening external markets for the industrial products.
- Encourage PNA and the donors to establish new factories.
- Existing a Palestinian National credit as an insurance and support to the factories in the district.
