Syria’s Kobani agriculture body receives 57,000 tons of wheat
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Since the process of delivering wheat harvest began, Agricultural Development Company of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in Kobani, northern Syria, has received 57,000 tons of wheat, an official revealed on Sunday.
On May 25, the Agricultural Development Company started receiving the wheat harvest in Rofi and al-Jalabiya silos in Kobani countryside.
The Agricultural Community Development Company, is affiliated to Agriculture and Irrigation Board of AANES and it was officially established in 2018, as its main headquarters is in the city of Qamishli, however, its branches are in all areas in northeast the country.
The company offers nitrogen and phosphatic fertilizers for farmers, receive crops of wheat and barley from farmers in soils of the region, milling wheat for bakeries of northeast Syria, and receiving crops of cotton from farmers.
Gulistan Sheikh Ahmad, co-chair of the Agricultural Development Company, told North Press that 33,000 tons of wheat have been received in three silos (Rofi, al-Jalabiya, and Sirrin) south of Kobani.
Ahmad added that after the silos were completely filled, they started receiving wheat in bags and stored them in the open next to the silos.
She noted that receiving wheat bags will continue in the three centers.
Kobani region needs an estimate of about 60,000 tons of flour each year.
The official said that the problem of lack of porters has been solved in order to receive more wheat on a daily basis since this year’s harvest is “massive.”
Northeast Syria’s areas – known as Jazira – were well-known as one of the most fertile agrarian lands, however, the drought in the recent years and the reduction of water by Turkey in addition to the climate change have turned the fertile areas into arid ones and vegetation no longer exists.
This year, the AANES has decided to buy the wheat crops from the farmers at $430 per ton, which is the best price according to a war-torn country. But the farmers have another view.
During the 2022-2023 season, about 3.5 million acres of lands were cultivated with wheat in the AANES-held areas.
Rain fed farmlands in the AANES areas exceeded 13 million acres and they were cultivated with wheat and barley.