Tel Tamer farmers warn wheat farming no longer profitable as payments remain delayed

Farmers in the city of Tel Tamer have expressed their frustration over the transitional government’s delay in paying them their dues for wheat crops, stressing that failure to receive their full payments more than two months after delivering their harvests has deepened their economic hardships and could drive them away from growing wheat next season.

3 September, 2026 03:33

QAMISHLO

ABBAS KHALAF

The Syrian transitional government’s delay in paying farmers their wheat dues after the harvests were collected and delivered to storage facilities, including silos and warehouses, has sparked widespread discontent among farmers and residents of the region.

Residents of Tel Tamer in the Jazira voiced their dissatisfaction with the delay in wheat payments, saying they would not grow wheat next season if the current situation continues.

Citizen Khalil Shandi said the continued delay in paying wheat farmers would cause significant harm to farmers and citizens alike.

“More than two months have passed since we delivered our wheat to the collection centres, and so far no one has received their full dues. This puts farmers in a difficult position, as covering the costs of ploughing, pesticides, fertilisers and seeds used on the land places a heavy financial burden on them,” Shandi said.

Shandi, one of the farmers who has so far received only 25 percent of his wheat payments, added that the remaining amount had been postponed for another three months.

For his part, citizen Shafik Murad noted that farmers wait from one year to the next for the harvest from their land, yet their dues have still not been paid.

Murad recalled that both the people and farmers are facing severe difficulties, expressing hope that the relevant authorities would move quickly to resolve the issue and ease the pressure on farmers and residents.

Citizen Alwan Ali, meanwhile, said the delay in wheat payments was having a significant impact on the community’s economy, noting that many families rely on the proceeds of their harvests to secure their basic needs, yet their dues have still not been paid.

“There have been many reactions to the issue of the delay. It is now time for farmers to prepare their land for next year, but we will not grow wheat next year because we will face the same obstacles we are experiencing now. Wheat farming has therefore become the biggest loss for farmers and citizens,” Alwan said.

ANHA