Syria buys 200,000 tons of Russian wheat and nine million tons Agriculture and Food

Syria's state grain buyer, the General Grain Purchase and Processing Corporation, is trying to buy 400,000 tonnes of wheat in separate bidding after it bought 200,000 tons of Russian wheat this month, sources said on Tuesday.

Syria is expected to import about 1.5 million tonnes of wheat because the current year's crop is 30 percent less than last year, the least in three decades because of war and drought. The company bought 200,000 tons of Russian wheat this month at an average price of $ 270 per ton, including shipping costs. A government source said the corporation wanted to buy 200,000 tons of Russian wheat in a global tender to close on February 18. It also wants to buy a similar amount in a tender that closes on March 4. "The new tenders show a demand in the country," a European trader said. Civil war Agriculture in Syria has been devastated and there seems to be a need for large imports. "

Syria's wheat production was 1.2 million tonnes in 2018, the lowest since 1989 and 4.1 million tonnes a year before the war. Syria then exported 1.5 million tonnes a year. Although Western sanctions do not prevent the importation of foodstuffs, bank sanctions and assets freeze make it difficult for most trading companies to deal with Syria. But trade with its ally Russia has less problems.

"If tenders succeed, they may encourage the return of more trading companies