The Director of the Forestry Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture, Muthanna Al-Kate, indicated that climate change, drought, and declining water resources represent the main challenges facing Syria’s fruit tree wealth, which extends from olive groves in the north and coast to apple fields in mountainous areas and pistachio trees in the interior. The planted area is estimated at about one million hectares, comprising approximately 218 million trees, of which 190 million are productive, with a total annual production of about 2.5 million tons of various types of fruits.
In the same context, Al-Kate clarified that olives come first among the types produced annually, followed by apples, pears, citrus, pistachios, almonds, figs, and grapes, where their distribution is linked to the climatic conditions of each region. Olive cultivation is concentrated in Aleppo, Idlib, Tartous, Latakia, and the Damascus countryside, while citrus is spread in coastal areas and pistachios in Hama, Idlib, and Aleppo, reflecting the environmental diversity that supports agricultural activities and food processing.
For his part, Al-Kate confirmed that the Ministry is working to provide improved, disease-free saplings at subsidized prices, and to enhance agricultural extension services to combat pests through integrated management, while also encouraging the transition to modern irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler to rationalize water consumption. The decline in rainfall and rising temperatures have led to tree stress and weakened resistance to diseases, while forest fires have caused widespread damage to vegetation and agricultural property, alongside the advance of desertification.
He added that future plans are directed towards expanding rainwater harvesting projects and encouraging drought-resistant rain-fed agriculture, while continuing afforestation campaigns and rehabilitating damaged sites. These efforts aim to increase the number of saplings planted annually and reach the planting of about two million saplings through national and community campaigns, as part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s plan, which launched the National Afforestation Campaign on November 2 to enhance vegetation cover and preserve natural resources.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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