Inside Israel's Premier Etrog Farm: Growing 100,000 Perfect Fruits Annually
Elitzur Avrahami manages a leading 100-dunam etrog farm in Israel, producing 100,000 flawless fruits annually with rigorous manual labor, yielding specimens weighing up to 4.1 kilograms.
Elitzur Avrahami, a 43-year-old resident of Netivot who grew up in Moshav Maslul, has been immersed in the world of etrogim for 26 years. His family farm, founded by his father Sdiaur, spans 100 dunams and is considered one of the leading and most respected names in the field, both in Israel and globally.
Year-Round Cultivation and Delicate Care
Unlike the common perception that etrog cultivation is limited to the days leading up to Sukkot, Avrahami explains that the work is continuous throughout the year.
"The work starts right after Passover," Avrahami says. "The pace goes into non-stop mode. We have 30 workers in the field, and even that is barely enough. Unlike oranges, the etrog is a much more delicate and sensitive fruit. Every scratch or minor flaw significantly reduces its value. To produce about 100,000 flawless etrogim without any blemish, every single fruit requires personal attention: pruning thorns and protecting the fruits. We tie each fruit individually using a trellis method, just like in a vineyard."
Flowering season begins around Passover, and the meticulous manual harvesting starts toward Tisha B'Av.
Grading and Pricing the Citrus
Post-harvest processing requires high expertise. The initial sorting discards unfit fruits, followed by Halachic sorting and grading based on the level of aesthetic perfection (hiddur).
"A hiddur etrog is symmetrical, clean of scratches and flaws, and simply pleasing to the eye. The price of an etrog starts at several tens of shekels and can reach thousands of shekels per unit, but there are very few like this each season," Avrahami notes.
In the Yemeni variety, weight and size play a central role. Every year, etrog farms compete over who grows the largest etrog, and the Avrahami farm consistently captures top spots. This year, their largest etrog reached 4.1 kilograms, though in past years they have even reached 7 kilograms.
Post-Holiday Utilization
When the holiday ends, the fruit faces various fates. While many discuss etrog jam, few actually consume it. Yemeni etrogim, for instance, are sweeter and suitable for producing liqueurs. The smaller etrogim are typically discarded, though the Volcani Institute has recently initiated research to develop medicines and extract essential oils from them.
