Homs, June 1 (SANA) Strawberry farmers in western Homs are expected to produce about 9,500 tons this season from nearly 11,800 greenhouses in Talkalakh, with around 5,000 tons already marketed, the Homs Agriculture Directorate said.
Haider al-Sarhan, head of the Directorate’s Agricultural Affairs and Prevention Department, said strawberry cultivation is concentrated in Talkalakh and the al-Bqy’ah Plain, two of Syria’s main strawberry-producing areas.
The directorate is continuing field inspections, laboratory testing and disease-management programs to help improve yields and limit crop losses. Farmers are receiving technical guidance on ventilation, irrigation and the use of certified seedlings.
In Umm Jameh village, about 3,000 greenhouses are planted with strawberries, producing an average of one ton per greenhouse, agricultural extension official Hassan Kanaan said.
Kanaan said farmers continue to face challenges including unreliable seedlings, high pesticide and diesel costs, adverse weather, seasonal imports and flood damage that affected about 255 greenhouses, with losses reaching up to 70%.
Protected strawberry cultivation remains a key source of income in western Homs and supports local markets across the province.
M.F / ABD
