Damascus-SANA
The Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform estimated the apple production for the current season at more than 267,000 tons.
And the director of the apple office in the ministry, Wajdi Abu Raslan, said in a statement to SANA’s representative that production is concentrated in Homs governorate in the first place with a production of more than 91 thousand tons, followed by Damascus countryside with a production of more than 50 thousand tons and then As-Suwayda with a production of more than 45 thousand tons, while the production of Lattakia governorate is estimated With about 35 thousand tons, Idlib with more than 16 thousand tons, Tartous with about 16 thousand tons, Hama with more than 5 thousand tons, Quneitra with more than 4 thousand tons and Aleppo with 1596 tons.
Abu Raslan explained that production this year is almost similar to last year in terms of quantity, pointing out that the area planted with apple trees is estimated at 51,693 hectares, with about 15 million trees, including 13 million fruitful trees. As-Suwayda governorate ranks first in terms of area, followed by Damascus and Homs countryside.
Abu Raslan confirmed that the irrigated area constitutes about one third of the cultivated areas and is concentrated in the countryside of Damascus, Homs, Tartous and Latakia, while the rainfed area constitutes about two thirds of the area and is concentrated in As-Suwayda, Damascus countryside, Homs, Lattakia and Hama.
Ghassob Abboud