Cotton farmers complain decreased production, lack of space and season loss

Cotton workers and farmers in al-Jazira region complain about the low production of this year’s cotton crop, and the lack of the cultivated areas that reflected on their incomes. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the area planted with cotton has gradually decreased, so that no more cotton-grown areas can be seen in most of the countryside.

Lack of production
Although some of the peasants provided the necessary supplies for cotton cultivation, they complain about the lack of production, farmer Wadha Jaffar told North-Press: “Cotton production is poor, and there is no good production, although peasants have provided the cotton crop with much medicine, water and fertilizer as possible”.
Lack of production affects the earnings of workers in cotton picking, due to the small amount of of work payments.
Malikeh Mohammed, a worker told North-Press: “Every single worker can only pack 3 or 4 bags of cotton, i.e 50-60 kg because the cotton yields are bad”.

Lightweight
Cotton production was affected by several factors, its yield has decreased this year, pests control weren’t available for cotton this year, and the cost of fuel has increased while the weight of cotton has decreased as a result of thirst.
Cotton workers this year receive an amount of 20 Syrian pounds for every one kilogram of cotton, so the lower the weight of cotton, the lower the worker’s earnings.
Amani Mohammed complained about the lightweight of cotton, by saying: “This year, cotton was infected by worms, aphids and thirst”.

Lack of space
The number of workers working in cotton picking has also been reduced this year due to the small cotton planted areas.
Amina Mahshoush, a cotton worker said: “In the past, hundreds of workers came here to work, from areas of Tal Tamr, Ras al-Ain and al-Shadadi. However, this year they did not come because the crop was wormed, and the cultivated areas are small, as well as the production”.

The crop doesn’t cover expenses
According to the General Union of Peasants in the Autonomous Administration, the cost of cultivating one dunum of cotton is between 50 – 65 thousand Syrian pounds, while farmers expect the production of cotton harvest for this season will not cover the expenses spent on their crops.
Abdul Jabbar al-Attiyah, a farmer said: “This year’s production is low, the costs of diesel, fertilizer, seed and medicine are high, and I don’t expect the cotton crop will cover the spent costs”.

Cotton prices
The Autonomous Administration has set the price of one kilogram of cotton, for the first type is 330 Syrian pounds, while the lowest price is 320 Syrian pounds.
It also set a discount for 4 kg, in case of supplying cotton with nylon bags, while there is no discount in case of supplying with burlap sacks.
The Autonomous Administration has allocated five centers for the reception of cotton from farmers, the center of Hasaka, the center of Mabrouka in Ras al-Ain, the center of Deir ez Zor, the center of Salhabiya in Raqqa, and Jalabiya center in Kobani.
The Autonomous Administration has announced that the cotton crop would be received from September 25, and that the delivery of invoices would not exceed 20 days from the date of cotton delivery.