Wheat prices spark farmers' protests in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor
Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces witnessed protests by farmers, rejecting the price announced by the Ministry of Economy and Industry yesterday to buy the wheat crop.
Hundreds of farmers from the city of Raqqa and its countryside organized a protest in the "Al-Naeem Roundabout" in the center of the city, expressing their rejection of the price approved by the Ministry of Economy, demanding immediate intervention and a review of the price, which they described as not covering the costs of agriculture.
In Deir Ezzor, dozens of people also staged protests in the city centre, where activists circulated videos showing large delegations of farmers from Deir Ezzor villages and towns heading to the city centre to protest the pricing decision for their strategic crop.
Farmers warned against the reluctance of farmers to supply the crop to government agencies or even cultivate it in the coming seasons if the price does not change, amid demands to revise the price and raise it to be fair to farmers.
Balancing prices with high production costs
The farmers were unanimous that the approved price is unfair to them and that the amounts decided do not even cover the basic costs spent throughout the current season, pointing out that the high prices of fuel needed for irrigation, fertilizers and seeds are devouring any supposed profit margin.
The farmers demanded that the price be adjusted to be fair and equivalent to the effort exerted and the costs paid, explaining that the steadfastness of the agricultural sector, the provision of a loaf of bread and food stability in the region depends on providing real and direct support to the farmer, and not on imposing cheap prices that push farmers to refrain from farming.
Details and Pricing Terms "No. 94"
The Ministry of Economy and Industry issued a decision yesterday to set the purchase price of first-grade durum wheat from farmers for the 2026 season, as the decision, which bore the number "94", stipulated that the purchase price of one ton of first-grade durum wheat was set at 46 thousand Syrian pounds, and the decision was published on the ministry's official identifiers and platforms to be effective.
The ministry explained in the body of its decision that it will be officially communicated to all concerned authorities to implement it on the ground, including the Syrian Grain Corporation and the Directorate of Communication and Executive Support to start opening receiving centers.
Preparations for receiving wheat
Earlier this month, the Syrian Grains Corporation announced the implementation of a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate and modernize wheat storage facilities in preparation for receiving the 2026 crop, a step that aims, according to the official narrative, to strengthen the country's strategic stockpile and ensure that the expected quantities are absorbed with high efficiency.
The Foundation's Director General, Hassan Al-Othman, explained in a statement that the Corporation has a huge storage infrastructure that includes 37 silos, 98 silos, in addition to 14 warehouses and 27 open centers distributed over the governorates, pointing out that some of these facilities are fully ready for investment, while the remaining section is undergoing rehabilitation and maintenance operations according to specific schedules and according to the available logistical capabilities.