MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Wheat farmers in the city of Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Governorate, northern Syria, complain about the lack of support of diesel, seeds and fertilizers, especially since these items are sold with dollar in the black market and the limited farmlands the farmers face.
Hamad al-Ibrahim, 30, a farmer from Manbij, said his rations of seeds and fertilizers he received are “insufficient” the matter would compel him to compensate the shortages from the black market.
Al-Ibrahim has being received 32 kilogram of seeds and 20 others of fertilizers per acre. However, he is going to be offered a discount for the payments of seeds and fertilizers when he delivers his crops to the Manbij Seed Multiplication Association at the end of harvesting.
The cropping season of wheat burdens farmers with “heavy” prices to compensate the shortage in seeds provided by the association and diesel rations for plowing and irrigation among others. Some farmers have no capacities to buy all items.
Manbij Seed Multiplication Association provides 32 kilogram of seeds per acre. Each kilo is sold in return for 2.400 SYP (about $0.40) that should be returned when the crop is delivered to the association. One acre needs more than 40 kilograms, according to farmers. However, if paid in cash, the farmer pays 2.300 SYP per kilo.
On the black market, the farmers buy a kilo at least in return for 2.400 SYP. However, its country of origin is unknown that could have faults and production cannot be guaranteed, according to Ahmad al-Jassem an official in the Agriculture and Irrigation Committee.
The association provides as well 20 kilograms of black fertilizer per acre in return for $1.060 for each ton which actually needs 4-50 kilogram.
Farmlands in Manbij need a good amount of fertilizers to facilitate growing up of seeds and multiply production owing to the “poor” soil which lacks minerals, according to farmers.
A ton of seeds is sold in return for $600 – 1.200 whose quality could be hybrid on the black market. A ton of black fertilizer is sold in return for $1.060 while urea is sold in return for $700.
Shortage of support
The farmers are perturbed by circulations that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) may rise a liter of diesel to 1.500 SYP for cultivation. They have already paid 120.000 SYP to authorize two hectares of his ten hectares by the association.
“Support is short. We are obliged to buy a liter of diesel in return for 1.500 SYP,” al-Jassem said with dismay, adding, “Previously they used to provide us with 200 liters per hectare. This is insufficient by no means.”
Farmers in Manbij extract water from the Euphrates River which in cases runs for long distances. However, recession of water has aggravated the plight more; they have had more tubes in pursuit of receding water.
Al-Jassem justified lack of diesel as owing to heating rations.
He affirmed that strategic crops including wheat and cotton, used to have allotted rations in due time, while intensive crops and vegetables were affected.
Two weeks ago, North Press contacted Co-chair of the Diesel Management Directorate of the AANES Sadiq al-Khalaf to verify the intention by AANES for any rise in prices of fuels provided to the farmers but he declined to make any commentary.
Fears
Mer’i al-Ibrahim, 50, a farmer from the village of Ousejli Saghir in Manbij is perturbed by the uncertainty of the stance of the AANES regarding diesel prices. Out of eight hectares he had authorized only four.
Al-Ibrahim said “The AANES has not made farmers feel comfortable regarding prices of diesel and the quality of the seeds provided by the association.”
He added that some farmers found themselves they had no other choices but to accept to receive the seeds while others refused to do so.
However, the official pointed out that seeds provided to the farmers are of Seed Multiplication Association which were sterilized and granulated, adding there is a hybrid kind sold in the market which is a highly expensive; a kilo is sold in return for 5.500 SYP (one dollar).
“We endure the devaluation of the Syrian lira. Non- accepting the corn aggravated our plight more,” he said.
On October 19, the AANES allowed corn to be exported outside its areas attributing the decision to its inability to buy the crop from the farmers.
Based on all this, Mer’i voiced his dismay over agriculture in the region that pushed him to refrain from the profession, “There is no confidence between the farmer and the administration [AANES] owing to its discomforting decisions.”
The Agriculture and Irrigation Committee provides authorization to the farmers on conditions based in advance. Up to date, 504 permissions have been made in Manbij, according to the concerned committee.
Those farmlands are authorized according to contract system by the association that is the latter provides seeds and fertilizers to the farmers whose prices are discounted when bills are delivered at the end of the cropping season. Farmers are bound to deliver their crops to the association.
The association caters for wheat production and distribution as seeds.
Muhammad al-Berho, an official at Seeds Multiplication Association explained the terms on which permissions are given for the wheat season, “Farmlands should be cultivated a year and left uncultivated for another, or being cultivated cotton.”
Al-Berho demanded the farmers abide by the plan set by the association regarding the amount of seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, pesticide spray, combating pests and abidance by the timely harvesting and delivering their crops in burlap sacks.
Khalaf al-Hamada, 60, a farmer from the village of al-Bnayyah in the countryside of Manbij, has lost a lot of his crop owing to the lack of diesel. He had authorized two hectares out of four ones.
“At the time of sprouting, they withhold diesel,” the man said. What aggravated the burdens of al-Hamada is that his crop was stricken by insects and rare amounts of much needed fertilizer.
Like other farmers in Manbij, al-Hamada demanded sponsored and increased amounts of diesel to irrigate their crops to make cultivation a success and make Manbij self-sufficient.