(Zaman Al Wasl)- As the harvest season is approaching, farmers of the Turkish-held Ras al-Ayn region have become fearful in light of the lack of funds and support during the winter season as they import fuel from Iraqi Kurdistan.
Ibrahim Hajji, 43, said his fellow farmers in Ras al-Ayn are anxious and apprehensive as the date of the harvest approaches about the high costs of harvesting due to the loss of fuel, and the absence of a responsible body committed to providing fuel and agricultural supplies.
The Kurdish militias blockade on Turkish-held areas have made owners of agricultural tractors and other vehicles reluctant to work amid lack of agricultural supplies.
Hajji added that the recent March rains saved the rain-fed wheat crop, as there is lack of fuel to run the irrigation wells, but they are concerned about the lack of harvesters (6 harvesters in the eastern countryside), which creates a problem with the harvest and the high wages that were last year, about 1,500 pounds per acre.
The farmer expressed his fear of the difficulty in marketing the grain because there is no body to organize the process and provide empty bags to the farmers, who have suffered greatly during the current season.
Ibrahim pointed out to the scarcity of fertilizer, processed seeds and pesticides, especially after the YPG-Kurdish forces confiscated shipments from them that were heading from Qamishli and Hasakah for agricultural pharmacies in Ras al-Ayn.
The first fuel shipment entered Ras al-Ayn on Tuesday after six months due Russian-Turkish understandings, activists told Zaman al-Wasl, such good news for farmers and the owners of small business.
According to the agricultural office at the local Ras al-Ayn Council, the prices of the harvest will no longer include the diesel fuel and its price at the time of harvest. A sufficient number of harvesters must be entered to complete the harvest in time, because the delay will affect production.
A source told Zaman al-Wasl that there are silos in Ras al-Ayn city and the towns of “Tal Halaf, al-Sifah and Mabrouka”, but receiving the grain there depends on Turkish support and opening the border gate for the crop marketing process.
He indicated that the Turkish side informed them of the existence of an agreement with a company for the introduction of hydrocarbons from northern Iraq to the region without customs to support agriculture there.
Meanwhile, Turkey had agreed to open a commercial border crossing, seeking to supply the residents with basic products and goods.
A source from the local governing council said that Turkish officials agreed to their request to open a commercial crossing between Ceylanpınar and Ras al-Ayn.
The Turkish military and the Syrian National Army attacked Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria on October 9 with the aim of creating a roughly 30-kilometer (20-mile) deep buffer zone.
Kurdish forces agreed to withdraw from a 120-kilometer (75 mile) long, Arab-majority segment of the 440-kilometer (275-mile) border zone, although clashes have been reported since.
Turkey subsequently reached a deal with the Syrian regime's main backer Russia for Kurdish forces to pull back from the entire border area.
Zaman Al Wasl
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