Protests continued in several Syrian cities and towns against a decision by the Ministry of Economy and Industry in the Syrian government to set the purchase price for a ton of wheat for the 2026 season at 46,000 new Syrian pounds, equivalent to about $330 at the current exchange rate, amid warnings about the decision’s repercussions for the future of agriculture and food security in the country.

Areas in the countryside of Hama, Raqqa, Deir Ezzor, and al-Hasakah witnessed protest vigils in which farmers and residents took part, expressing rejection of the price, which they described as “unfair” and not in line with high production costs. The agricultural sector is suffering from accumulated crises caused by rising prices of fuel, fertilizers, seeds, transport, and harvesting wages.

During the vigils, protesters raised wheat stalks and banners reading, “We stopped farming,” “Do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs,” and “Wheat is al-Jazeera’s gold, do not turn it into ash,” reflecting growing anger among farmers who said wheat, as a strategic crop, has not received enough support despite its importance to the Syrian economy.

Protests in Agricultural Areas

The protests were concentrated mainly in agricultural areas whose residents depend almost entirely on wheat cultivation as a primary source of income. Raqqa (northern Syria) witnessed wide protests, while farmers also demonstrated in the al-Ghab Plain in Hama countryside (central Syria), the countryside of Deir Ezzor (eastern Syria), and the city of Amuda in al-Hasakah governorate (northeastern Syria), to express rejection of the government decision.

Protesters said the Syrian government had sent contradictory messages to farmers. On one hand, it placed wheat stalks on the highest new banknote currently in circulation, the 500 Syrian pound denomination, while on the other, according to their description, it did not adopt economic policies that support farmers or set a price that ensures the continuity of agricultural production.

The government decision comes as the harvest season approaches, at a time when farmers had been counting on the current season to compensate for years of drought and accumulated losses, especially after rainfall levels improved this year compared with previous seasons.

Farmers’ Union Calls for Reconsideration

The head of the Farmers’ Union in al-Hasakah governorate, Abdul Hamid al-Karko, told Enab Baladi that the announced price “does not meet farmers’ aspirations and is not proportional to the effort made or production costs.”

He added that the union believes it is necessary to reconsider the set price, or add a delivery bonus of no less than $120 per ton, saying that supporting farmers and agricultural production is “more important than making financial profits for the purchasing party.”

Al-Karko noted that preserving farmers’ ability to continue growing wheat requires real support policies, especially since the agricultural sector is one of the main pillars of the local economy in the Syrian al-Jazeera region.

“Agriculture Has Become a Burden”

In southern al-Hasakah countryside, farmer Abdullah al-Hajji said high costs have made agriculture “a loss upon a loss,” explaining that the prices of agricultural diesel, seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides have risen significantly, in addition to harvesting and transport wages.

He added that the current season was not at the level farmers had expected despite improved rainfall, because cold waves affected wheat growth, causing empty ears of wheat to appear and lowering productivity.

Al-Hajji explained that the financial burdens are no longer limited to basic farming inputs, but also include additional costs such as wheat packing sacks, with each sack costing about $2. He said the price set by the government will not allow farmers to make any profit margin or even repay their accumulated debts.

He noted that continuing to work under this price may push him to stop cultivating his land in the coming seasons, like many farmers who are now considering leaving agricultural work and looking for alternative sources of income.

Sharp Rise in Production Costs

For his part, farmer Mohammad Dawi, who planted about 300 dunums of wheat this year, said farming costs have risen at an unprecedented rate, starting with the prices of fertilizer and seeds, and extending to pesticides, fuel, and harvesting wages.

He explained that the price of a ton of fertilizer reached about $615, while the cost of pesticides used for every ten dunums reached about $13, in addition to higher plowing costs caused by the increase in the price of agricultural diesel to 25 cents.

He added that harvesting costs alone may reach about $75 for every ten dunums, making the current government price unable even to cover the basic expenses of the agricultural season.

Dawi said farmers had expected the wheat purchase price to be set at no less than 55 cents per kilogram, allowing them to cover production costs and repay their debts, noting that the government decision “shocked farmers.”

He said that the continuation of the current situation will push many rural residents away from agriculture, even though it is the main economic resource for many families in al-Hasakah governorate.

Fears of Declining Wheat Cultivation

Farmer Hussein al-Ayed described the government decision as “unfair to farmers,” saying the new price came far below the actual costs of production.

He said farmers had hoped the government would benefit from the improved agricultural season this year and set a price that would encourage them to continue growing wheat, but the decision, in his words, disappointed them.

Al-Ayed said the economic decisions related to agricultural diesel prices and wheat pricing directly affected citizens’ livelihoods, and that many farmers now feel agriculture has turned from a source of income into an economic burden.

He noted that some farmers refuse to sell their crop at the current price, considering that storing wheat at home is “better than selling it at this price,” unless the decision is reconsidered.

Food Security and the Pricing Crisis

Wheat is one of Syria’s most important strategic crops, as the country relies on it primarily to produce bread and secure a large part of its food needs, while the Syrian al-Jazeera governorates, al-Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir Ezzor, form the main agricultural reservoir for Syrian wheat.

But the agricultural sector, according to farmers interviewed by Enab Baladi, faces growing challenges, including declining government support, rising production costs, fluctuating crop prices, and the effects of drought and climate change. These factors have led to a decline in cultivated areas and reduced farmers’ ability to continue.

Farmers believe that pricing strategic crops should take actual production costs into account and guarantee a reasonable profit margin for farmers, as their ability to continue farming is directly linked to the country’s food security.