Syria’s announcement that it had achieved self-sufficiency in wheat was not merely another agricultural headline. It carries implications that go beyond production figures, touching on an issue that for years has been closely linked to national security and economic stability. Wheat in Syria is not simply a crop; it is a pillar of food security and an indicator of the state’s ability to provide its citizens with their basic need for bread. For decades, Syria was known as one of the region’s major wheat producers.
The Syrian Grain Establishment announced that the quantity of wheat it received from the current season’s harvest reached 2.7 million tonnes, exceeding the country’s estimated annual requirement of around 2.55 million tonnes. These figures reflect a clear improvement compared with previous years and give the government an opportunity to reduce its reliance on imports, ease pressure on foreign-currency reserves, and strengthen its strategic stockpile to deal with fluctuations in global markets or possible drought seasons.
The significance of this achievement cannot be fully understood without looking back at the years that preceded it. The agricultural sector paid a heavy price during the war as a result of fighting, large areas of farmland being taken out of production, damage to irrigation networks, declining agricultural services, and difficulties in importing production inputs.
During the Bashar al-Assad regime, thousands of farmers faced complex conditions. Many complained about the rising prices of fuel, fertilisers and seeds, delays in receiving their payments after delivering their crops, and the gap between government purchasing prices and production costs. This led some farmers to reduce the areas they cultivated or abandon wheat cultivation altogether in certain seasons. Others were forced to sell their crops to different parties in search of better returns or quicker access to cash.
Despite the announcement of self-sufficiency, farmers’ challenges have not disappeared. Production costs remain high, with a continuing need to provide fuel, fertilisers and seeds at affordable prices, secure agricultural financing, improve irrigation services, and ensure that farmers are paid for their crops without delays.
Experts emphasise that keeping farmers on their land is no less important than increasing production, because agricultural stability begins with the stability of the producer himself. Any policy aimed at protecting self-sufficiency therefore needs to make wheat cultivation economically viable, ensuring that farmers continue expanding cultivated areas rather than switching to more profitable crops or abandoning agriculture altogether.
The achievement brings new responsibilities for the authorities concerned. A surplus has little economic value unless it is properly stored in suitable silos and managed within a clear policy for building a strategic reserve. This requires modernising agricultural infrastructure, rehabilitating silos and warehouses, reducing losses during transportation and storage, and ensuring the quality of stored grain.
This issue is particularly important in Hasakah province, which is among the country’s leading wheat-producing areas. Limited storage capacity, combined with the presence of stocks from the previous season, means that part of the harvest has to be transported to other provinces. This demonstrates that abundant production requires a transportation and storage system capable of keeping pace with it.
The wheat issue also cannot be separated from the economic changes taking place in Syria. Increased domestic production can reduce the import bill and the need for foreign currency while strengthening food security. These factors take on even greater importance at a time when the country is seeking to revive its economy and restore the cycle of production.
The success of the experiment will not be judged by a single season, however positive its results may be. True success lies in transforming this achievement into a sustainable policy based on supporting farmers, improving productivity, managing water resources efficiently, and encouraging agricultural investment. This would ensure that the country continues to meet its needs year after year.
Nor does self-sufficiency in wheat automatically mean that the broader challenges of food security have been resolved. These challenges are also linked to purchasing power, the costs of milling and transportation, bread production, and its distribution to the population. The current year’s harvest therefore represents an important step, but remains part of a much larger economic and food-security system.
[by Qahtan Mustafa in Alaraby TV]
Compiled and translated by Faizul Haque