By Layla al-Garib
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – At the end of the popular market on al-Thawra Street in Damascus, Muhammad Abdullah, a specialized date seller, displayed his merchandise, sorted according to country of origin like Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The price of one kilogram of the lowest quality of dates is no less than 25,000 Syrian pounds (SYP, which equals about $1,75). So when people are displeased with the soaring prices, he wonders why the government does not facilitate the import of dates, considering they are a household staple.
He said sometimes imports are restricted, causing prices to mount significantly. When allowed, the prices do not decrease much either due to the constant fluctuating exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the US dollar.
There is no noteworthy local production of dates. Prior to the war, the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture used to pursue the production of 5,000 tons, however, now it has declined to less than 3,000 tons.
Unaffordable
The need for dates is nothing like other sweets and fruits, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, where this product has a religious and nutritional significance among the Syrian people.
However, dates, like other items, have become out of reach for the financially burdened Syrians after the prices of imported goods rose significantly, especially after dates were prohibited from importation on March 2022. The prices did not improve even after allowing their import later.
Experts attributed the decline of the local production of dates to security problems in areas where dates traditionally grow, as well as the spread of the palm tree weevil disease.
Palmyra in the Syrian Desert is the primary source of local date production. According to statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture, the number of palm trees planted in Syria ranges from 200,000 to 225,000, with only about 60,000 fruitful ones.
Low production
The main date producing areas in Syria are Palmyra and Deir ez-Zor, both of which have seen a decline in production due to the unstable security.
An official at the Ministry of Agriculture noted that there are 130,000 trees in Palmyra, but the fruitful ones do not exceed 40,000.
Production is declining, with most trees yielding no more than 50 kilograms, for various reasons, some of which can be attributed to poor care. Meanwhile, the production of a well-cared for tree can amount to about 100 kilograms.
The official told North Press that a significant portion of palm trees produce less than 50 kilograms, depending on the age of the strains, as the old strains generally have lower yields.
The area suitable for palm cultivation extends to 50,000 hectares, but the cultivated one has not exceeded 408 hectares, he explained.
Lack of services
According to statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture, the situation is similar for palm tree production in Deir ez-Zor, where there are 57,000 trees, and the fruitful ones do not exceed 24,000 trees.
Former head of the Palm Department at the Ministry of Agriculture identified some of the problems in this sector, like a decline in care provided for palm trees due to a shortage of skilled workers, and the lack of modern irrigation and care technologies.
Palm cultivation methods date back to the late 1980s, but have not been developed to improve its production despite the favorable environmental conditions, the official told North Press.
Efforts have been made recently to determine areas suitable for cultivation and to reassess areas where this cultivation can succeed, taking into account the changing climate.
Areas suitable for palm cultivation stretch from the Syrian Desert, i.e. from Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa, to Palmyra and al-Sukhnah in Homs, all the way to the east of Damascus.
Deactivated plans
Despite the establishment of nine centers to propagate palm tree production in Abu Kamal and Palmyra, these plans have not succeeded, especially during the war, as these areas remain largely outside the control of the Syrian government.
According to the official, so far most types of trees are produced from seeds. There are no modern technologies that enhance productivity. He believes that it is necessary to adopt tissue culture techniques to produce larger numbers of seedlings.