High fertilizer prices overburden the farmers of Amude, northeastern Syria

Amude – North-Press Agency
Avin Sheikhmous

The price of the agricultural fertilizer has nearly doubled this year in northeastern Syria compared to last year, bringing the price of a ton to 400,000 Syrian pounds due to the high exchange rate of the U.S. dollar, while it was sold at 240,000 Syrian pounds last year.

Fertilizers in northeastern Syria are imported from Iraq and Iran via Semalka border crossing with Kurdistan Region of Iraq, meaning that their prices are affected directly by the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currencies against the Syrian pound (lira), according to officials at the Agriculture Authority.

Faisal Halimi, a farmer from the town of Amude, 27km west of Qamishli, told North-Press that farmers "would potentially face a great loss," unless the Autonomous Administration of northeastern Syria takes measures to reduce the prices of spring fertilizers.

According to Halimi, potential losses during the coming season may lead to the reluctance of some farmers to cultivate their lands, due to the significant difference between the current high prices of fertilizers and the cheap prices of crops at harvest time.

Last January, the Autonomous Administration published on its Facebook page video footage of the head of the Economic and Agriculture Authority, regarding the destruction caused by last year's fires, which damaged about 435,000 donums for 6,000 farmers who were compensated with seeds for the current season.

The Autonomous Administration's measures

Sozdar Ahmad, the co-chair of the Agricultural Community Development Company in Amude, said that the required quantities of fertilizers for farmers in Amude countryside are estimated according to divisions made by the Company.
Bashir Farhan, a member of the Agricultural Community Development Company in Amude, said that during the current season so far, they have distributed 1,400 tons of urea fertilizer, in addition to distributing 400 tons of compound fertilizer, which is used for winter vegetables.

The mechanism of fertilizer distribution

The mechanism of fertilizer distribution depends on the agricultural licenses obtained by farmers this year, 25 kilograms of fertilizer were provided per donum, according to the licensed area, in addition to eight additional kilograms allocated to farmers contracted with the corporation of seed propagation for 380 dollars instead of buying them from the black market for 400 dollars, according to Agricultural Society Company in Amude.
For his part, Renas Zubeir, the administrator at Semalka border crossing, said that what was agreed on with Kurdistan Region of Iraq at Faysh-Khabur border crossing was the entry of organizations and relief materials into the regions of Rojava and northeastern Syria every Tuesday.