HOMS: Strawberry farmers in western Homs are projected to harvest around 9,500 tonnes of fruit this season from nearly 11,800 greenhouses concentrated in the Talkalakh region, local officials said.
According to the Homs Agriculture Directorate, roughly 5,000 tonnes of the current yield have already been successfully marketed.
Haider Al-Sarhan, head of the Directorate’s Agricultural Affairs and Prevention Department, noted that strawberry cultivation remained highly concentrated in Talkalakh and Al-Bqy’ah Plain, which serve as two of Syria’s primary strawberry-producing zones.
To optimize yields and mitigate crop losses, the directorate is actively conducting field inspections, laboratory testing, and disease-management programs.
Field experts are also providing farmers with technical guidance on essential practices, including proper greenhouse ventilation, regulated irrigation techniques, and the utilization of certified seedlings.
In the village of Umm Jameh alone, around 3,000 greenhouses are dedicated to strawberry production, averaging a yield of one ton per greenhouse, according to agricultural extension official Hassan Kanaan.
While protected strawberry cultivation continues to be a vital source of income in western Homs and a crucial supplier for provincial markets, local farmers face significant operational hurdles.
Kanaan highlighted several ongoing challenges threatening the sector, including unreliable seedling quality, escalating costs for diesel and pesticides, adverse weather conditions, and seasonal imports.
Furthermore, severe flood damage recently impacted about 255 greenhouses in the area, causing crop losses of up to 70 percent for those affected.
Despite these setbacks, the successful expansion of strawberry planting has spread beyond Homs into the eastern countryside of Lattakia and western Idlib.
Following this regional growth, northwest Syria launched its inaugural Strawberry Festival last year.
The event was established to highlight the promising economic returns and high quality of the crop, which is gaining widespread popularity among local growers.
In addition to showcasing various types of locally cultivated strawberries, the festival features an array of strawberry-based food products and confectionery, including jams, juices, and sweets.
