Farmers in the countryside of Deir Ezzor have begun harvesting the watermelon seed crop, amidst immense challenges imposed by rising agricultural costs and the high prices of fertilizers and fuels, which have led to a reduction in planted areas and weak returns. These successive losses have driven farmers to demand government support to revive and sustain this agriculture.
For his part, Abdul Hamid Ahmad Abdul Hamid, head of the Agricultural Affairs and Prevention Department at the Directorate of Agriculture, outlined government efforts to support farmers, noting that the Ministry of Agriculture's plan for the next season stipulates pricing fuel at 125 per liter. It is also planned to distribute diesel according to agricultural regulations, which involves a document issued by extension units containing the farmer's ownership and agricultural land tenure details, based on which subsidized materials are provided.
He indicated that the plan also includes securing the necessary amounts of fuel at designated fuel stations to implement the agricultural plan, and securing fertilizers, especially phosphate and nitrogen, through agricultural banks. In the same context, farmers highlighted the problems facing agriculture, emphasizing that rising prices have led to a decrease in planted area.
Farmer Hamidi Al-Habash from the Uzman Al-Anabza area confirmed that the area planted with watermelon this year reached only 40 dunams, whereas more than 100 dunams were planted last year. He also pointed out that the watermelon seed harvesting machine now charges 80 dollars per hour, whereas it used to charge 35 dollars, thereby increasing the financial burden on producers.
Farmer Fawaz Al-Habash called for supporting farmers by providing fuels at subsidized prices, securing fertilizers, and reducing their prices to match their capabilities, which would contribute to lowering production costs and limiting losses. It is worth noting that watermelon fruits are collected after ripening, and their seeds are then extracted using specialized machines to separate them from the pulp and rinds, while the rinds are sometimes sold to livestock breeders for use as feed.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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