Syria opens wheat procurement season as harvest outlook improves
The country has started buying wheat from farmers as officials expect a stronger harvest and continue efforts to build grain reserves.
SYRIA – Syria has opened its 2026 wheat procurement season, with grain receiving centres starting operations across several governorates as officials forecast a harvest of about 2.5 million tonnes.
The season comes as the country seeks to strengthen local wheat supplies, support farmers, and reduce dependence on imports. Authorities expect the harvest to cover domestic demand and help improve food security.
Hassan al-Othman, Director General of the Syrian Grain Establishment (SGE), said the expected harvest would help meet the country’s needs. President Ahmad al-Sharaa has approved a farmer bonus of 9,000 Syrian pounds (US$70) per tonne delivered, in addition to the official procurement price of 46,000 Syrian pounds (US$380) per tonne.
Procurement has already started in Hama, Daraa, Tartous, and Latakia. Authorities have introduced an electronic booking system at receiving centres to organise deliveries and reduce waiting times.
Officials in Hama’s al-Ghab region expect higher intake than last year’s 18,000 tonnes after favourable rainfall conditions. Daraa has started receiving grain at the Izraa silos, while workers continue preparations at the Bosra al-Sham centre following rehabilitation work.
Harvesting has yet to begin in major wheat-producing areas such as Hasakah, Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, and Aleppo, where the season starts later. Authorities say grain centres in these regions are ready to receive crops. Hasakah has added solar power systems and surveillance cameras, while Raqqa has launched an electronic registration platform to organise grain deliveries.
Hasakah expects to produce about 1.025 million tonnes of wheat from nearly 750,000 hectares. Officials attribute the outlook to strong rainfall during the growing season. In Deir-ez-Zor, agricultural teams continue to assess damage caused by recent flooding along the Euphrates River. Early findings show limited losses in wheat fields.
National storage capacity has also increased. The SGE says rehabilitation work has expanded storage capacity to nearly one million tonnes across silos and grain centres. Work continues at the Adra silos in Damascus Countryside, where construction has reached 80% completion. The facility will hold about 200,000 tonnes once operational.
The procurement season follows another positive assessment from Syria’s Ministry of Agriculture, which projected wheat output at about 2.3 million tonnes earlier this year.
Officials said better rainfall, improved crop performance, and wider access to farm support encouraged farmers to plant more land and increase production.
Despite the improved outlook, Syria has continued importing wheat, including 70,000 tonnes through the Port of Tartus, to maintain reserves and ensure stable supplies in the local market.
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