War-damaged infrastructure restored, Syrian Agriculture Minister says

Syrian Minister of Agriculture Hassan Qatna told Sputnik on Tuesday that Syria has largely rebuilt its agricultural infrastructure which was devastated during the war.

“Agricultural production is affected by many factors, including the destruction of infrastructure and institutions that supported production, which was happening since the beginning of the war. Much of this has been rebuilt, including research and veterinary centers, a number of factories supporting production, and where possible, water supply infrastructure,” he said.

The remaining issue lies in the “provision of means of production and the increase in their cost, a decrease in the technological level and wear and tear of agricultural machinery, rising prices for imported equipment, its shortage and the increased cost of servicing existing equipment,” Qatna said.

Farmers in Syria are unable to reactivate wells in their fields due to increasing service costs. State irrigation systems are providing reduced water supplies, and reservoir reserves are dwindling.

The minister attributed these factors to the decline in summer crop yields. Fruit trees are adversely affected by abnormal weather conditions, such as frost, which is impacting both the quantity and quality of production, Qatna noted.

The high risks associated with agriculture are discouraging investment in the sector, he said. There is also a challenge posed by rising wages for workers due to shortages and increased internal migration.

Read more: Syrian Agriculture Minister: US Wheat Seeds “Extremely Dangerous”

US troops claim to be occupying the area in order to rid the region of terrorists, yet the US has strategically implanted itself there for the purposes of stealing Syria’s natural resources as well as destabilizing President Bashar Al-Assad’s government. 

In December of 2022, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the US occupation forces and their affiliated military groups’ systematic lootings of Syrian oil, wheat, and other national resources have amounted to direct losses valued at $25.9 billion and indirect losses valued at over $86 billion.