Idlib – Mohamed Masto
Since early August, the season of harvesting red peppers began in northern rural Idlib—a crop of significant importance in the region, especially in the cities of Salqin and Harem, where it is widely grown.
This year witnessed a reduction in the prices of the crop compared to previous years, with varying productivity from field to field due to weather fluctuations and care methods. Meanwhile, costs increased, and marketing was limited to local markets only, reducing the profit margin for farmers.
Weak production and low price
Farmer Suleiman Dermish mentioned that the drop in red pepper prices this year is due to the limited sales in local markets and the lack of export. Additionally, the fluctuations of the Turkish lira against the US dollar affected the financial returns for farmers.
He explained that the price per kilogram of pepper ranges between 6 and 7 Turkish liras, noting that no profits were made this year.
Dermish, who owns one hectare of red pepper in northern rural Idlib, spoke about the decline in production compared to 2023. This year, the crop yield ranged between 35 and 40 kilograms per dunam, which is half the amount produced in 2023. He attributed the reasons to weather conditions and the numerous diseases that affected the crop.
On the other hand, farmer Abd Mustafa, from rural Idlib, stated to Enab Baladi that he owns three dunams planted with red peppers, with each dunam yielding 100 kilograms per harvest. The period between harvests is 10 days.
High costs
This year saw a decrease in the price of red peppers. Farmer Suleiman Dermish mentioned to Enab Baladi that the cost of planting one hectare reaches 3000 US dollars (about 100,000 Turkish liras), including labor, water, and fertilizers expenses. The cost of spraying the crop once with pesticides reached 40 US dollars, while the price of a bag of fertilizer type “46” ranges between 20 and 25 dollars.
Farmer Abd Mustafa said that the cost of planting peppers also includes land rent, with the rent of one dunam reaching 115 dollars annually, varying by area, and noting that the worker’s wage is 15 Turkish liras per hour.
Fruit farmers in Idlib complain about the lack of support and the absence of marketing channels, with Turkish products entering the markets, causing them financial losses.
In the 2023 season, the fig harvest faced tumultuous conditions, including the entry of Turkish figs into the markets, poor marketing of the local product, and being affected by snail diseases, leading to lower prices and crop stagnation.
Last June, vineyards in northern western Idlib, Syria, suffered severe damage that wiped out 95% of the agricultural season, with a 50% decrease in production due to weather fluctuations.