Unemployment after displacement, disappointing olive season in Afrin

Kamal Khoja, 34, complains of widespread unemployment in his hometown of Afrin, in the countryside of Aleppo Governorate, after returning and ending years of displacement as part of the fourth convoy, which included 1,200 families and departed Qamishlo for Afrin on May 9.

To date, around 10,000 families have returned to Afrin in several convoys, the latest of which arrived on July 16. The families came from the cities of Qamishlo, Hasakah and Derik as part of the implementation of the January 29 agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian transitional government.

Fuel Prices: The Final Straw

Khoja, a tailor, shares the same circumstances as thousands of young returnees who are struggling to find work amid deteriorating economic conditions, rising fuel prices and the onset of winter.

He says he has been unemployed for nearly five months after most garment factories reduced their production lines for several reasons, chief among them rising operating costs driven by higher fuel prices, fluctuations in the Syrian pound's exchange rate and declining purchasing power in the markets.

The latest fuel supply crisis has forced several bakeries in Afrin to shut down and disrupted transportation, negatively affecting residents' daily lives.

"Hidden Unemployment"

Meanwhile, Mohammed Hanan, 44, who works as a driver on local routes between Afrin city and its surrounding villages, told our agency that rising fuel prices, recent shortages and declining fuel quality have contributed to unemployment among his fellow drivers.

Hanan says that being constantly at work does not necessarily mean the economy is moving toward growth. Drivers often operate at a loss, a situation he describes as "hidden unemployment," because their daily earnings are insufficient to meet their families' needs. This is compounded by the sharp rise in vehicle spare-part prices.

Exploiting Workers' Need for Jobs to Cut Construction Wages

Shiro Abdo, 25, who previously worked at a café for a monthly wage of $120, says he turned to construction work because of the market slowdown caused by the same economic factors mentioned above.

He noted that construction contractors have exploited young people's need for work amid the growing influx of returnees, cutting daily wages to as little as $5, down from $10. Monthly earnings in the sector previously ranged from $150 to $200, despite construction being one of the most demanding jobs in Syria.

Meanwhile, the construction sector in Afrin has witnessed a revival. On the one hand, returnees are seeking to repair their damaged homes after years of displacement. On the other hand, property markets are attracting buyers from abroad, who account for 90% of demand, with prices for newly built homes ranging from $45,000 to $120,000, depending on size, finishing and location.

Hopes Pinned on Olives, Then Dashed

All those interviewed for this report said their contingency plans for overcoming the current financial hardship revolved around harvesting the 2026 olive crop, which began on October 1.

However, these hopes collided with a harsh reality as prices for green olives fell to 70 new Syrian pounds, down from 150 new Syrian pounds last year, a decline of more than 55%.

Olive oil prices have also dropped. A 16-kilogram tin now sells for $63, compared with approximately $90 last year.

With these price declines coinciding with rising costs of fertilizers and fuel needed to sustain agricultural production, landowners are facing a severe economic dilemma, with an unprecedented market slump leaving prices below farmers' expectations.

Several traders say current prices may rise within four months of the end of the harvest season. They therefore recommend storing the harvested olives and oil until the market stabilizes.

Landowners, however, reject this option because they need immediate cash to repay accumulated debts, including expenses for plowing, fertilizers, labor for digging around trees and pruning them, irrigation and, finally, harvesting.

Caught between hopes of returning home and the struggle to secure a livelihood, Afrin's residents find themselves facing a cost-of-living crisis that extends beyond a lack of job opportunities to declining sources of income, rising production costs and lower returns from the agricultural season.

A-H 

ANHA