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What most commenters ignore is that Syrian grain production is primarily in the North and Northeast areas presently under control of the SDF. This is very important for Syria. Ignorant commenters like Robert S. Ford have no clue and ramble on about oil and suchlike.pic.twitter.com/Ssqiulg0ik
To amplify this, grain shortages in years leading up to the Syrian war in 2011 were major casuative factors from a food price basis as well as an internal migration basis. Resumption of full grain production (rainfall permitting) will have the greatest effect on Syria of all.
The story here is really the annual rainfall distribution (Source: Zuhair Kattan). In Kansas, with a comparable seasonal rainfall distribution, wheat is grown in regions with at least 400 mm/yr; seldom less.pic.twitter.com/5HLw6bonro
In Western Australia (similar climate to Syria) the rain needed for wheat is about 175mm. The majority of wheat is grown in the areas with 175mm to 450mm. Very little is grown above 450mm as too much rain damages crops.pic.twitter.com/rGDhCbatzW
Good point - but while the "areas" maybe under SDF control, I don't think the grain production cycle is - credits, agricultural inputs, procurement- probably still in hands of regime agencies.
Food prices are still seven times pre-war and wheat/barley is the staple. The SDF will certainly be marking up the price of grains sent to Government areas - to at least match the price of imported grains but likely a lot more.
Also water distribution.... look particularly at areas like Afrin.
OK, I retract that statement: "The Khabur Valley, which now has about four million acres (16,000 km²) of farmland, is Syria's main wheat-cultivation area." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khabur_(Euphrates)#Modern_Khabur_River_Valley …
This doesn't sound quite right. Hasakeh has a desert climate with very low precipitation and has no access to the Euphrates. But it is still producing by far the most wheat? Doesn't make sense. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Hasakah#Climate …
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