Protests in Hasaka, Qamishlo, Derik, Kobani against wheat pricing 

On Thursday, the cities of Hasaka, Qamishlo, Derik and Kobani witnessed protests organized by the parties of the Consultative Meeting, with the participation of the Unified Syrian Communist Party and the People's Will Party, demanding a fair price for wheat that protects farmers' rights and supports the sustainability of the agricultural sector.

In Qamishlo city, protesters gathered in front of the grain office in the city center, while in Derik, they assembled at al-Shuhadaa (the Martyrs) Square, in Hasaka, protesters gathered in front of the Farmers' Union building on Qamishlo Street, and in Kobani, they gathered at the Peace Square.

Participants in the demonstrations held banners with "Wheat is a people's issue," "No economy without agriculture," "People's bread is a red line," "The farmer's fatigue is not cheap," "Wheat is the homeland's dignity," "Supporting farmers protects food security," "A fair price for wheat is a legitimate right," "Don't make a loaf of bread a dream," "The farmer's fatigue is more valuable than your decision," "No to destroying the national economy... 95% are below the poverty line," "Do justice to the farmer before it's too late," and "Supporting agriculture is a national duty," written on. In addition, some participants held wheat stalks to express their commitment to farmers' rights and their support for the agricultural sector.

The sit-ins began with holding a minute of silence, followed by the reading of a statement on behalf of the organizing parties, which stated:

"We followed with great disapproval the decision of the Interim Government in Damascus, which stipulated setting the purchase price of a ton of durum wheat at 46,000 Syrian pounds according to the new currency, equivalent to $330, at a time when the agricultural sector is witnessing an unprecedented rise in production costs, as a result of the large increase in the prices of fuel, fertilizers, plowing, seeds, irrigation supplies, transportation, pesticides and other production requirements.

Adopting this pricing system is inconsistent with actual economic indicators of agricultural production and fails to provide even a minimum level of economic viability for farmers. This places a large segment of them at risk of direct losses, impacting their ability to continue farming in the coming seasons due to the reduced economic returns from Syria's most important strategic crop. This, in turn, will negatively affect food security and population stability in the country.

The danger of this decision is particularly pronounced in Hasaka Governorate, the center of agriculture in Syria, as the governorate produces approximately half of the country's total wheat production, estimated at 1.5 million tons of wheat, in addition to other crops such as barley, lentils, and aromatics, given that the governorate relies primarily on agriculture as its main source of economic activity.

Therefore, the current pricing is unrealistic and has direct negative repercussions for producers. It completely disregards production costs, the exorbitant rise in prices of basic goods and services, and the high inflation rates plaguing the Syrian economy. Consequently, its impact on the economic and living conditions in the governorate is direct and profound. Weakening the productive capacity of farmers in Hasaka not only threatens the income of farming families, but also impacts local markets, job opportunities, social stability, and the future of Syrian food security in general.

This decision cannot be separated from a series of flawed economic policies that have contributed to increased pressure on citizens and producers in recent years. These policies include inadequate support for the agricultural sector, rising energy and fuel costs, declining purchasing power, and the absence of stable economic plans capable of protecting local production and stimulating agricultural investment. The accumulation of these factors has led to a gradual decline in productive sectors, while the cost of living has increased for citizens, further exacerbating the fragility of the economic and social situation.

The current stage requires the adoption of realistic and balanced economic policies based on protecting local product and achieving a reasonable degree of fairness between production costs and purchase prices. This will ensure the sustainability of the agricultural process and incentivize farmers to continue cultivating strategic crops, rather than pushing them towards reducing cultivated areas or gradually abandoning production.

While we express our absolute rejection of this pricing, we call on the relevant authorities to reconsider it and adopt a new purchase price based on a genuine study of production costs and market demands. This new price should provide a fair profit margin for farmers and contribute to supporting the agricultural sector, ensuring its continuity, and reinforcing economic and social stability in the country.

Supporting agriculture is not merely an economic issue; it represents a fundamental pillar of food security and national stability. This necessitates a more balanced and realistic approach to managing this vital sector, protecting the country from potentially uncontrollable public discontent because it affects the lives of broad segments of Syrian society."

It should be noted that the parties participating in the consultative meeting include the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria, the Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria (al-Parti), the Kurdish Democratic Left Party in Syria, the Kurdistan Azadi Movement in Syria, the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Accord Party, the Kurdistan Democratic Peace Party, the Kurdish Left Party in Syria, and the Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party in Syria.

ANHA

KOBANE

derik

heseke

qamislo