"Syrian Farmers face rising threat from Govt. inaction; Turkish control"

Anxiety is mounting within Syria’s agricultural sector amid signs that the transitional government is withdrawing its support for farming, as discussions intensify about the entry of Turkish companies and cooperatives into the market. Farmers fear becoming nominal partners or mere laborers serving Turkey’s rapidly expanding agricultural economy.

At the start of the agricultural year mid-October, considered the optimal time for launching winter crops in Syria the transitional government announced its shift toward a free-market economy, effectively ending subsidies and the provision of essential agricultural inputs, particularly fertilizers and seeds for key crops such as wheat, barley, and potatoes.

Nevertheless, the Ministry of Agriculture has not announced any plans to distribute seeds or instructed traders to begin imports. According to sources contacted by our agency, the Agricultural Bank still holds limited quantities of fertilizers in its warehouses, insufficient for the season’s needs. The bank has neither imported new supplies nor contracted private traders as it has done in previous years. Likewise, the General Organization for Seed Multiplication has not announced any seed sales to farmers or the provision of subsidized loans to support agricultural operations, raising alarming concerns about the fate of the upcoming season.

Although the Ministry of Agriculture recognizes drought as the most critical challenge facing the sector, it has taken no formal steps to demand Syria’s rightful share of water from Turkey, limiting itself to timid public statements. This contrasts sharply with Iraq’s proactive diplomatic engagement, which has yielded Turkish promises to increase water releases and adopt smart agriculture initiatives.

Farmers across Syria, speaking to ANHA agency, express deep concern over the future of agriculture and the government’s position on providing seeds and fertilizers. They question whether these inputs will be sold at subsidized prices as before, or at free-market rates. Should they wait for the Agricultural Bank to distribute fertilizers? Will distribution proceed as in previous years, or has the bank abandoned that responsibility altogether? So far, there are no answers.

Meanwhile, some international organizations have signaled plans to return to Syria to offer support and technical guidance, including ICARDA, which announced intentions to improve crop varieties, support rural women, and preserve natural resources especially water. According to our sources, the organization has received substantial funding to implement its programs, though so far, these remain little more than public promises.

Within Syria’s agricultural circles, talk is growing about the emergence of “agricultural cooperatives” that act as partners to farmers providing inputs while taking possession of the harvest for resale. Experts warn that such cooperatives could serve as vehicles for Turkish economic expansion into Syria, particularly after Turkey’s agricultural exports exceeded $36 billion last year.

Agricultural experts and Syrian affairs analysts caution that Turkey possesses vast production capacities in seeds, fertilizers, and smart farming equipment, as well as global and European market access, advanced packaging facilities, and quality-control laboratories. They predict that Turkey will penetrate the Syrian market through these cooperatives supplying farmers with inputs, collecting their produce, and reprocessing or rebranding it as Turkish products for export. This scenario, they warn, would place Turkish agriculture on a golden path while reducing Syrian farmers to wage laborers under Turkish control.

These concerns are intensifying as Turkish agricultural companies expand into Syria, Turkish machinery becomes more prevalent, and raw Syrian olive oil continues to be shipped to Turkey and exported as a Turkish product. Today, similar patterns are expected with fruits and vegetables, as cooperatives manage everything from seeds to the packaging of produce. The question remains: Will anyone address this growing threat to Syria’s agricultural sovereignty.

ANHA