An analytical Economic Study of Support Policies for Agricultural Products in Syria

This research aimed to determine the mechanisms of support for potato, apple and citrus crops and their impact on the productivity of these crops in light of the current reality and to measure changes in the production system of each crop as a result of the economic effects resulting from the Syrian crisis. In achieving its objectives, the research was based on the quantitative and descriptive analysis method, focusing on the policy analysis matrix (PAM), testing hypotheses for independent samples and multiple regression analysis. This research was based on preliminary data for a random sample of farmers consisting of 323, 123 and 322 farmers of potatoes, citrus and apples, respectively, which were randomly collected in Lattakia, Tartous and Al-Ghab. The results of the research showed that the production systems of each of the three crops have a local competitive advantage, especially during the season (2323-2321), because the financial profitability at the local market price is positive, which amounted to about 1253, 353 and 254 million SP/ha for each of the potatoes. and apples and oranges respectively. However, the impact of the Syrian crisis was evident on these crops. After the policy of supporting agricultural production was able to reduce its negative net impact to -3531, 352 and -3513 million SP/ha for each of these crops, respectively, during the pre-crisis period, it rose The negative impact of this policy reached -253, -2151 and -152 SP/h, respectively, and the main reason for this is the shift in agricultural policy from focusing on market equilibrium in the first period (through reducing subsidies on prices of production inputs and abolishing trade restrictions relatively) to support consumers in the second period (through imposing export restrictions to maintain low local prices in parallel with the decrease in the purchasing power of consumers), and this comes in response to the priorities of achieving food security. Agricultural support mechanisms were concentrated in four basic mechanisms: fertilizers, agricultural diesel, marketing through the Syrian Trade Corporation, in addition to agricultural extension services. However, these mechanisms were characterized by their decline during the study season as a result of the unjust economic sanctions imposed on Syria, in addition to the global crisis related to the Corona pandemic, which led to the difficulty of importing these inputs. The amount of subsidized fertilizers was limited to 32513, 23513 and 44523 of the total quantities of fertilizers used in the sample for potatoes, apples and citrus, respectively. As well as for agricultural diesel, which was limited to 1523 and 2523 of the total needs of farmers for these three crops, respectively. As for the quantities marketed through the Syrian Trading Corporation, they were limited to 4523, 2523 and 3533 of the total marketed quantities of the three crops in the sample. It was also found to be weak utilization of extension services provided at the level of these crops in general. As for the effect of the adopted support mechanisms on the productivity of the studied crops, it was proportional to the intensity or quantity of the subsidies, as the amount of subsidized fertilizers significantly (at the level of 13 or 23) affected the productivity of both potatoes, apples and citrus, and the amount of subsidized agricultural diesel also affected the productivity of potatoes. and citrus, while the cross-Syrian marketing of trade was associated with a decrease in the productivity of the orange crop, and was not affected by the productivity of the other two crops. Likewise, the level of extension services did not affect the productivity of any of the three crops.