A number of farmers in the Raqqa governorate have affirmed that the Farmers Union's decision to set the cost of plowing a dunum at more than 200,000 Syrian pounds does not align with their living conditions and the financial burdens they face at the start of the agricultural season. They are calling for a review of the pricing and the provision of subsidized diesel for agricultural tractors.
For his part, farmer Mustafa Al-Mahmoud pointed out that the high cost constitutes an additional burden, especially since some lands require more than one plowing stage, which increases the total seasonal cost. Farmer Khaled Al-Hussein added that rising fuel prices and transport fees make bearing costs more difficult, urging a reduction in the rates to take farmers' circumstances into account.
The head of the Farmers Union in Raqqa, Abdullah Al-Abdullah, affirmed that the pricing was determined due to the lack of any external financial support for the cooperatives, forcing them to purchase diesel at the free market price of approximately 17,500 Syrian pounds per liter.
Al-Abdullah clarified that the union conducted a field study on a sample of lands covering an area of 10 dunums, which included calculating diesel and maintenance costs. He noted that the union owns approximately 150 tractors, of which 80 are operational, while 70 require maintenance and rehabilitation.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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