Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Homs, SANA- Successful agricultural seasons and abundant crops are waiting for farmers in the northern countryside of Homs including various crops such as grains, legumes and aromatic plants after restoring safety and returning to cultivate and invest their fertile lands.
During a tour by SANA correspondent to see the operations of harvesting anise, chickpeas and barley in Rastan and its villages, Engineer Wissam Haidah, head of al-Rastan Agriculture Department, in a statement to the SANA Economic Bulletin said that the implementation rate of the cultivation plan for all crops reached 100 percent.
Haidah added that 4,300 hectares of barley were cultivated and about 1,000 hectares have been cultivated with anise and the same area has been cultivated with cumin while chickpeas have been cultivated over an area of more than 1000 hectares, pointing out that the productivity is high for all crops and compatible with production estimates.
He noted that, in conjunction with the return of security and safety to the region in 2018, the farmers have returned to work in investing and cultivating their lands which are rainfed, and work is currently underway to complete the final works to rehabilitate the main irrigation channel that feeds the area with water in order to contribute to increasing the amount of production and the cultivated areas and the diversity of crops.
Agricultural engineer Abdel-Razzaq Taqtaq from al-Rastan Agriculture Department pointed out that the farmers implemented the entire agricultural plan, especially for anise, chickpea and barley crops, and that production estimates are good for crops, and it is expected to increase the cultivated areas after rehabilitation of irrigation canals in the region.
Taqtaq indicated that the harvest process began with respect to aromatic crops and legumes and ended with regard to the wheat and barley crops, and the products are marketed locally within the province’s regions.
During a tour on a number of farms, farmer Fawzia al-Sayyah indicated that she is working to harvest her land in al-Rastan which is planted with wheat and barley and it expands over an area of 13 dunums, calling for securing the fertilizers, pesticides and the fuel subsidized by the state.
And a number of other farmers in the region demanded the authorities concerned to support the prices of fertilizers and pesticides and secure sufficient quantities for the agricultural process in addition to interfering in the marketing of legumes and aromatic crops similar to wheat, which contributes to achieving appropriate revenues for the farmers.
For his part, Ibrahim Shreteh, the owner of a combine harvester, pointed out that the prices of spare parts and fuel have increased significantly, and this has led to a rise in labor prices by almost double compared to the previous season.
Ruaa al-Jazaeri
