Syria to issue tender for 200,000T of wheat as drought deepens food crisis

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 August 20, though no date for the tender has been set. The decision comes as the country grapples with its worst drought in 36 years, which has reduced wheat output by about 40 percent. The production collapse has left the government struggling to secure large-scale grain purchases, raising fears of a deepening food crisis. “To safeguard national food security, the ministry is engaging in wheat imports from key exporting markets, including Ukraine and Romania,” the ministry said in a statement released via the Ministry of Information. So far this season, the state-run General Establishment for Grain has procured 372,000 tons from local farmers, against an annual consumption need of 2.55 million tons, according to the ministry. Wheat is Syria’s most important crop, forming the backbone of the country’s ...