Seed Price Set for New Season
Syria's Ministry of Agriculture set the sale price of wheat seed to farmers at 66,000 Syrian pounds (SYP) per ton for the 2026/2027 agricultural season, in a decision issued by Agriculture Minister Basil al-Suwaydan and reported on 9 November 2026.
The Agricultural Production Support Fund will cover the difference between the state's cost price for the seed and the lower price charged to farmers, keeping the subsidized rate in place as the winter planting season opens.
Cheaper in Dollars, Dearer in Pounds
The head of the Daraa Farmers' Union, Fouad al-Hariri, said the price was reasonable given the costs borne by the General Establishment for Seed Multiplication, which cleans and disinfects the seed before distribution.
He noted that in US dollar (USD) terms the price had fallen to about $430 per ton from roughly $500 a season earlier, even as the figure rose when measured in Syrian pounds.
Calls for Fuel and Fertilizer Aid
Farmers and union representatives pressed the ministry to subsidize nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers and to reactivate support funds for fuel and fertilizer, noting that subsidies on fuel, fertilizer, and other inputs stopped about two years ago.
Several asked for interest-free loans on easy terms, singling out rain-fed growers, and called for free agricultural extension services to be restored.
Divided on the Burden
Views on the seed price diverged. Some growers described it as acceptable, citing the quality of the state-distributed seed, while others said it was slightly high and should be reduced.
They pointed to rising costs for plowing, transport, labor, and harvesting, which they said continue to weigh on returns despite the fixed seed rate.
Pressure at Delivery
Growers also warned that the purchase price offered for wheat at delivery remains low, a gap they said could translate into losses once the crop is sold.
They urged the ministry to secure production inputs at suitable prices and to ease the cost of fertilizer, pesticides, and fuel ahead of the main sowing period.