The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Punishing civilians and clamping down on farmers | Regime forces impose levies on owners of harvesters in Hama’s Sahl Al-Ghab

Syrian regime continues to punish civilians living outside areas under its control through persecuting farmers in farmlands adjacent regime-controlled areas, attacking their fields and preventing farmers from reaching them and harvesting their crops.

 

On the other hand, regime government clamps down on farmers in areas controlled by the regime by imposing levies and taxes on farmers in return for allowing them to harvest their crops.

 

In this context, SOHR sources have reported that regime forces stationed in Sahl Al-Ghab area in the western countryside of Hama have imposed levies/money estimated to be 100 USD on every harvester used in that area in return for allowing farmers to harvest the wheat crops of this season. Meanwhile, farmers and owners of harvesters have found themselves obligated to pay the requested money to avoid regime forces’ possible attacks on the harvesters.

 

According to SOHR sources, farmers and harvesters owners have paid a total of nearly 11,000 USD to regime forces in return for allowing them to harvest their wheat for only one week without attacking the harvesters. Observatory sources have confirmed that this deal was reached between a regime brigadier-general and some dignitaries from Sahl Al-Ghab in the western countryside of Hama.

 

According to an activist from the northern countryside of Idlib, residents of Sahl Al-Ghab area have relied on farming as their major source of income. However, the control of regime forces and their proxy militias on over 80% of the region, following fierce military battles, has led to shrinking of the space of farmlands which are now confined to a few villages.

 

Speaking to the Syrian Observatory, the activist says, “the area of Sahl Al-Ghab in west Hama countryside had been a major source for the region’s food production, especially vegetables and wheat. Because of the large-scale military operation by regime forces and their proxies in 2019 and 2020, thousands of farms were forced to displace to other areas, abandoning their farmlands. The Syrian regime later started to profit from these farmlands. On the other hand, most of the owners of farmlands remaining in a few villages to the north of Sahl Al-Ghab, including Zayzon and Qastoun, live in refugee camps in north Idlib countryside, where some of them continue to cultivate their farmlands and visit them frequently, while others have preferred to rent out their land to other farmers. Farmers in this region risk their safety and lives by frequenting to their farmlands, especially those which are located near frontlines between rebel factions and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham on one hand, and regime forces and their proxies on the other. Regime forces deliberately attack these farmlands, especially during the season of wheat harvest, with the aim of burning down the farmers’ crops. Accordingly, farmers have found themselves forced to accept such agreements to protect their crops.” The activist has pointed out that “the number of farmers who paid taxes to regime forces remains unknown and that there are no further details about these agreements. However, such agreements are not a new phenomenon, as similar agreements have been struck even before 2019 and regime forces control of that large area of the north-west region. Farmers in that area have no choices to protect their crops but to accept these deals, especially since they have no other sources of income in light of the current lack of job opportunities throughout Syria.”

 

Farmers in Sahl Al-Ghab area in the western countryside of Hama have complained of poor production of their wheat crops this season because of the challenges they have faced during cultivation, mainly the difficult access to their farmlands which are adjacent to regime-controlled areas, as military forces in this region consider these farms “military zones.” In addition, farmers have been suffering from the high prices of fuel, seeds, fertilizers and the high cost of cultivation. Moreover, the farmers have complained of the low price of wheat set by the “Salvation Government” which is estimated to be 450 USD per ton.

 

Commenting on the challenges which face the farmers who grow wheat and the low price of selling their crops compared to the cost of cultivation, a farmer known by his initials as M. Y. from Sahl Al-Ghab area in the western countryside of Hama has told SOHR “the costs which farmers shoulder during a season are very high. The price of seeds alone has been reached 400 USD per ton, let alone the soaring fuel prices. On the other hand, a 50-kilogram bag of fertilizer costs nearly 50 USD, and it is enough for no more three acres. Moreover, the price of pesticide needed in every acre has reached five USD. Also, the cost of renting a harvester has reached 12 USD for harvesting only one acre. In general, the cultivation of an acre costs 70 to 90 USD.”

 

The farmer pointed out to another problem faced the region’s farmers this season which was manifested in the reduced rainfall after March, especially in April, where crops at that time of the season need large amounts of water; this, in turn, has negatively affected production.

 

“Amid all these challenges, farmers were shocked by the decision made by the ‘Salvation Government’ which set price of purchasing wheat from farmers at 450 USD per ton. Accordingly, most of the farmers will make no profits. Only ‘lucky’ farmers can turn a small profit. It is worth noting that authorities do not comply with this price and, on many occasions, wheat is purchased for 425 USD per ton.”

 

Regime forces had deliberately attacked and burnt farmlands in areas under the control opposition factions and jihadist groups with the aim of preventing farmers to reach them. In addition, regime forces imposed levies on these farmers in return for allowing them to harvest their crops.

 

It is also worth noting that regime forces have recently seized a large number of farmlands in Hama and Idlib countryside, after the displacement of their owners to north Syria region, where regime forces auctioned off these farmlands and offered them for investment.