The kibbutz grows
bananas and
avocados, and raises
turkeys. In 1974, kibbutz members founded a
biotechnology company called Rahan Meristem, which included the first commercial
tissue culture laboratory in the country. Rahan developed new procedures for large scale,
in-vitro,
clonal propagation of over 200 plant
genera including ornamental, industrial, fruit, and vegetable crops. In the mid-1980s, in-vitro propagated banana plants became the leading product. Rahan is now a center of research and consultation for the banana industry throughout the world. A formal
R&D department was established in 1991 to provide technical support. Areas of expertise include molecular and classical
genetics, plant cell and tissue culture,
plant biochemistry and physiology,
bacteriology and
industrial biotechnology. Methods have also been developed for the control of contaminating
microbes, early detection and elimination of
somaclonal variation, reduction of labor and fixed costs in production, etc. In the early 21st century, the kibbutz was privatized. ==Notable people==