Syria expands wheat and barley cultivation

Syria has seen a noticeable increase in wheat and barley cultivation during the current agricultural season compared with previous years. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the total planted area for the two crops has exceeded 2.8 million hectares across both irrigated and rain-fed lands. If weather conditions remain favorable, total production could reach around 2.3 million tonnes.

Officials said the planned wheat area for the season was 1.4 million hectares, including about 640,000 hectares of irrigated land and 830,000 hectares of rain-fed fields. The actually planted area reached roughly 1.2 million hectares, or 86% of the plan. For barley, the target area was also about 1.4 million hectares, while actual plantings totaled around 1 million hectares, mostly in rain-fed regions.

The Ministry of Agriculture noted that implementation rates have improved compared with last season, when the plan was fulfilled by only 76% for wheat and 70% for barley. Better rainfall across many Syrian regions, along with expanded rain-fed cultivation and improved crop management, contributed to the stronger performance this year.

The government is also supporting farmers through programs providing seeds and fertilizers. In particular, authorities launched an interest-free loan program this season that supplies farmers with wheat seeds as well as nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. The country’s agricultural strategy for 2026–2030 also focuses on introducing drought-resistant varieties and climate-adapted farming practices to strengthen food production.

Tags: wheat, Syria, crop forecast, barley