Wheat Price Set at 55,000 Pounds
Syria's government has fixed the official purchase price of wheat for the 2026 season at 55,000 Syrian pounds (SYP) per ton. The Ministry of Economy and Industry set a base price of 46,000 SYP per ton, with an additional 9,000 SYP per ton paid by the presidency as a bonus to growers who deliver their harvest to state grain collection centers inside Syrian territory.
At the prevailing market rate of roughly 13,800 SYP to the US dollar (USD), the combined price translates to about 400 USD per ton.
Bonus Followed Farmer Protests
The 9,000-pound presidential supplement was announced after protests broke out across most Syrian governorates against the initial pricing. Farmers had argued that the original figure failed to cover the rising cost of inputs and would not justify continued local cultivation.
Raqqa Growers Pressed by Dollar Costs
In northern Raqqa, growers say their entire production chain — from plowing and seed through harvest — is effectively priced in US dollars, as are outstanding debts to agricultural pharmacies and fertilizer traders. A Raqqa wheat farmer said on 22 May 2026 that pricing the crop in pounds while inputs run in dollars exposes them to a currency risk they cannot hedge.
Growers describe wheat as the dominant source of household income across the Raqqa region, with the vast majority of local families depending on the crop.
Officials Cite Food Security and Cost Gaps
The head of the Damascus and Rural Damascus Chamber of Agriculture, Mohammed Janan, said the state is absorbing the cost of buying domestic wheat at incentivized rates to keep farmers planting, even though imports would be cheaper. Agricultural expert Akram Afif called wheat a strategic crop because it underpins both bread supply and livestock feed through its straw byproduct.
Officials setting the price said they reviewed production cost differences between governorates and adopted an average rate intended to balance grower support with budget limits.
Currency Risk Could Erode Payouts
Farmers warned that if the Syrian pound continues to weaken before payments are released, the 55,000-pound rate will lose value in dollar terms. Growers cited assessments circulating among economists projecting the exchange rate could reach 20,000 pounds per dollar within one to two months, the window in which final settlements are typically issued. They are calling for the price to be pegged to the dollar or accompanied by a fixed reference exchange rate.