Key highlights:

• Price increases for both agriculture inputs and food commodities continue to be observed in Syria. This continues to exert significant pressure on Syrian families 10 years into a protracted crisis. In July 2021, eighteen (18) out of thirty (30) monitored agriculture inputs showed varying price increases. Significant price increases were recorded for wheat seed in local markets (26 percent m-o-m increase), with a 21 per-cent m-o-m increase being observed for phosphate fertilizer.
• Fuel shortages continue to persist in most governorates and this continues to present challenges to farmers who rely on fuel for irrigation during the summer season and transportation of their produce to the market.
• The reaction of markets, particularly for agriculture inputs and commodities, is different from one location to another and Rural Damascus looks more stable across all monitored locations. Overall, market prices in most governorates are unstable, particularly due to the worsening macro-economic conditions prevailing in the country.
• The water crisis coupled with the climate-induced drought-like conditions, has significantly impacted agricultural output and is threatening output markets, food security and agriculture-based livelihoods of farmers in Syria.
• The price of bread increased significantly back in October 2020 and another increase was announced officially in July 2021. The price adjustment resulted in the price of bread rising from 100 SYP per rabta to 200 SYP per rabta through the official bread distribution points.