BEIRUT: Syria will issue an international tender to import 200,000 metric tons of wheat to help cover a domestic supply shortfall, the Ministry of Economy and Industry told Reuters on Wednesday, without specifying a date for the tender.
Reuters reported on Monday that Syria faced a potential food crisis with the worst drought in 36 years slashing wheat production by around 40% and the cash-strapped government struggling to secure large-scale purchases.
“To safeguard national food security, the ministry is engaging in wheat imports from key exporting markets, including Ukraine and Romania,” the ministry said in statement provided to Reuters via the Ministry of Information.
The General Establishment for Grain has procured 372,000 tons from local farmers so far this season and needs 2.55 million tons to cover its annual consumption, the ministry said, confirming figures reported by Reuters on Monday.
Wheat is Syria’s most important crop and supports a state-subsidised bread programme.
All recent wheat shipments were paid for on a cash-against-delivery basis, and there are no outstanding liabilities to suppliers, according to the Ministry of Economy and Industry statement.
It said no external budgetary support had been secured, apart from an Iraqi in-kind grant of 146,000 tons. In April, Syrian media said Iraq would ship 220,000 metric tons of wheat to Syria as “a gift.”
Wheat imports were financed through sovereign self-funding mechanisms, without reliance on foreign subsidies or preferential loans, according to the ministry.
Any wheat shortfall would prove a challenge for President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose government is seeking to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war and the toppling of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.
Before the civil war, Syria produced up to 4 million tons of wheat, exporting around 1 million tons.
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