As the harvest season begins, farmers in the cities of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad are facing a shortage of mechanical harvesters and the fitness of those available for work.
Although this year’s cultivated areas are limited, most of the available harvesters are either out of service or unqualified for work, while some harvester owners refrain from operating them due to the low amount of cultivated land, which they consider a waste of time and effort.
Harvesting fees have remained unchanged this year, ranging from 6 to 8 US dollars per dunam, but they still represent a burden on farmers in light of the absence of support and organization from the relevant authorities.
At the mercy of harvester owners
Every harvest season, farmers in the two cities demand an adequate number of harvesters to ensure that their wheat and barley crops are collected on time and to maintain their quality.
Delays in harvesting can lead to the spoiling of the spikes due to rising temperatures, which damages the grains and results in crop losses.
Farmers expressed their concerns to Enab Baladi about the recurring fires in agricultural lands, which could destroy crops before harvesting, forcing them to comply with high fees to rent harvesters.
Given the limited number of harvesters, many find themselves compelled to comply with the conditions set by the harvester owners, lacking other alternatives.
Farmer Qusay al-Imran (54) from the Sukariyah village in Tal Abyad fears a repeat of what occurred during the previous season, where the harvester was delayed for more than 14 days from the start of the harvest season.
This delay resulted in a loss of nearly 20% of his crop due to the extreme heat and winds that caused the spikes to scatter.
He explained that he contacted more than one harvester owner, but most of them refused to come and harvest, claiming that the cultivated areas in his village are too small to make it economically feasible and cover operational costs.
He urged the relevant authorities to secure harvesters as soon as possible this year, especially with the start of the season and rising temperatures.
Harvesting fees range between 6 and 8 US dollars per dunam – June 19, 2025 (Enab Baladi)
Similarly, farmer Firas al-Ali (45) from the village of al-Juhfa east of Ras al-Ain tried to secure a harvester for his 70 dunams of irrigated wheat, but all his efforts failed.
Al-Ali found only one harvester whose owner demanded a fee of 9 dollars per dunam, which exceeds the customary price in the region.
The farmer stated to Enab Baladi that after a week of searching in vain, he had no choice but to rent the harvester at the inflated price, fearing for his crop’s integrity, especially with rising temperatures and the increasing risk of fires.
He highlighted the need for the relevant authorities to intervene to provide enough harvesters at acceptable prices to help alleviate the burden on farmers and reduce their losses during the season.
Agriculture, along with livestock breeding, is among the main occupations for the majority of residents in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad, serving as a primary source of income.
Most of the available harvesters are either out of service or unqualified for work – June 19, 2025 (Enab Baladi)
Operational costs not covered
Harvester owners face challenges that do not differ much from those of farmers, as they bear high operating costs, including fuel and spare parts, making it unfeasible to operate for small areas not exceeding one hundred or two hundred dunams.
Imran al-Adil, who owns several harvesters in Tal Abyad, told Enab Baladi that this year’s cultivated areas are limited compared to the previous season, which saw extensive planting both irrigated and dry.
He added that the operational costs for the harvester are high due to fuel, labor, and maintenance, making it unfeasible to operate a harvester for small areas between 100 and 200 dunams at last season’s prices.
He explained that the harvester only goes to work when the cultivated areas are between 700 and 1000 dunams to cover operational costs and achieve a small profit.
Al-Adil noted that the problem is not in the pricing structure, but in the decreased cultivated areas, especially the absence of dry land areas that used to compensate for costs in previous years.
Some harvester owners refrain from operating due to the low amount of cultivated land, considering it a waste of time and effort – June 19, 2025 (Enab Baladi)
Low areas
Omar Hamoud, head of the Agriculture and Livestock Office at the local council, told Enab Baladi that the areas planted with wheat this year have dropped to about 70,000 dunams compared to 110,000 dunams in 2024, due to drought affecting the region.
He added that the region does not suffer from a shortage of harvesters, but their owners refuse to harvest small areas due to high operating costs, such as fuel and labor wages.
He mentioned that the harvesting fee remains as it was in the previous season, ranging from 6 to 8 dollars per dunam. However, the reluctance of harvester owners to work on small plots caused a severe shortage of services.
Hamoud indicated that the local council intends to hold meetings between farmers and harvester owners aiming to reach solutions to end this issue.
Syrian government to receive wheat
The grain centers in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad announced the start of receiving wheat crops of both hard and soft types from farmers for the current season, following the Ministry of Economy and Industry in the Syrian transitional government setting the price for purchasing a ton of first-grade hard wheat (Dokma) at 320 dollars.
This announcement comes after a presidential decree grants farmers who deliver their crops to the Syrian Grain Corporation a financial reward of 130 dollars for each ton, added to the established base price.
Harvest delays in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad due to combine harvester shortages Enab Baladi.
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