Damascus-Sana
The war conditions and the coercive economic measures imposed on Syria did not prevent Syrian agricultural products from reaching all world markets. Fruit products topped the markets of the Gulf countries, Russia, Egypt and Jordan without competition, while olive oil reached more than 40 countries.
In a statement to SANA Economic Bulletin, Eng. Omar Al-Shalt, Chairman of the Association of Plant Products Exporters, pointed out that agricultural exports continue to reach many countries around the world despite the difficulties that have been encountered in the way of exporters.Fruits and vegetables exports have never been interrupted from the markets of neighboring Arab countries, Gulf, European and Asian.
In the same context, the source said Bashar full that random exports are prevalent and rely primarily on the export of products "Ducma" to the markets of Iraq, Lebanon and other nearby countries.
He called on the Export Authority to communicate with exporters before approving the subsidy to complete its discussion and make comments, stressing the conclusion of bilateral agreements with friendly countries regarding the duties and taxes imposed on Syrian exports.
The source pointed out the difficulties facing Syrian exports, including the measures taken by some neighboring countries to impose tariffs on trucks in Jordan and prevent them from completing their way in addition to the long waiting period for unloading at the border, which entails large amounts of money on exporters.
Bassam Ali, the owner of the storage and packaging facility, considered the need to support the prices of fuel and treatment of industrial plants and expand the umbrella of support to include products of protected agriculture according to new determinants to ensure the arrival of subsidies to its beneficiaries.
For his part, Bashar al-Malik, member of the Damascus Chamber of Agriculture, said in a similar statement that the establishment of export villages in ports and border posts, and the provision of aircraft dedicated to shipping and provide export requirements from packaging centers and storage warehouses and refrigeration in addition to support shipping costs.
Engineer Omar Al-Shalt pointed out the relentless pursuit of quality certificates granted by specialized European companies that open the way for Syrian products to enter the European markets, indicating the existence of a trend in the Assembly to adopt international standards with regard to sorting and cooling to ensure the preservation of agricultural product quality away from randomness and ignorance in Sorting and storage prevailing in the work of the local sector currently.
Al-Shalt pointed out that there are obstacles to the export process, most notably the prevailing mechanism of work in the agricultural sector, which negatively affects the nature of the exported production.The local agricultural production ends in the cardamom market and does not find its way to foreign markets.Our stated objective is agriculture for export in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Export Support Authority.
Al-Shalt stressed the study of the targeted foreign markets and the consumption habits in each country.
For his part, Iyad Mohammed, head of the Central Committee for Export in the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, stressed the constant endeavor to support Syrian exports through communication with concerned and interested in friendly countries, where preparations are underway for the establishment of three Syrian export centers in Crimea, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, which contributes to support the export process and revitalization. To the importance of activating the work of the Committee in this period, which will be present in all governorates to activate the exports of all Syrian products and to solve the problems and obstacles that hinder the export process so that the Committee is the link between exporters and concerned parties.
Nadim Mualla
SANA Economic Bulletin