In a move aimed at bolstering the national economy and protecting local farmers, Qutaiba Badawi, head of the Syrian National Import and Export Committee, issued a decisive decree halting the import of a wide range of agricultural and food products during the month of January. This decision comes as part of a government strategy to empower local producers and prioritize them in Syrian markets.
List of prohibited products and tightened customs controls
According to a decision issued by the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs, the ban list includes a number of basic commodities that are available locally during specific seasons. The list includes: potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, lemons, all types of citrus fruits, strawberries, eggs, olive oil, as well as live, fresh, and frozen chickens and their parts .
To ensure the effective implementation of this decision, the committee instructed the General Customs Administration not to accept or register any customs declaration containing these items during the specified period. The decision also stipulated strict legal measures, including the return of non-compliant shipments to their origin at the owners' expense, effective from the date of the decision's issuance.
Context of the decision: Protecting food security and the national economy
This decision comes at a time when the Syrian economy is facing significant challenges, with the agricultural sector being one of the most important pillars of the country's economic resilience. Historically, Syria has been self-sufficient in many strategic crops, and the government is seeking to restore this balance through these protective measures. Halting imports during peak seasons for domestic production (such as citrus fruits, olive oil, and winter vegetables) is a necessary step to prevent the market from being flooded with foreign products, which could lead to a collapse in local prices and inflict heavy losses on Syrian farmers, potentially forcing them to abandon their livelihoods.
Moreover, this decision helps to alleviate pressure on foreign currency, as hard currency is directed towards importing necessary raw and industrial materials instead of being depleted on food commodities for which there is a high-quality local alternative.
Parallel marketing initiatives: from producer to consumer
In parallel with the customs protection decisions, and to ensure that prices do not rise for the citizen as a result of halting imports, the Damascus and Rural Damascus Chamber of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture, announced the launch of the “From Producer to Consumer” initiative on Sunday, December 28.
Mohammed Jannan, head of the Damascus and Rural Damascus Chamber of Agriculture, stated that this initiative, which will run for ten days at the Chamber's headquarters, aims to break the cycle of commercial intermediaries that contribute to price inflation. The initiative seeks to open direct marketing channels that ensure the sale of agricultural and food products (including poultry, eggs, honey, mushrooms, and vegetables) directly from farmers to consumers.
Janan added that the initiative is not limited to the final sale, but also includes securing production inputs for farmers such as feed, seeds and fertilizers at competitive prices, which contributes to reducing production costs in the future, and thus stabilizing prices in local markets.
