Agriculture, Industry Ministries sign Memo to Promote Organic Farming

DAMASCUS, (ST)- The Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform with the Ministry of Industry recently signed two memorandums of understanding aimed at promoting organic agriculture in accordance with the international standards and requirements as reflected on raising the income of farmers and organic producers and provide the needs of the productive sector of support services in the field of quality.

The Minister of Agriculture, Ahmed Qadri, confirmed the importance of these memos for the advancement of the agricultural sector and its development in order to reduce production costs,finding qualified potentials for staff of the directorate of organic production, improving their performance and gaininga product in accordance with the international standards, which enhances the competitiveness of organic Syrian products, encouraging the production of natural and healthy organic products, improving the prospects for productive investments and marketing for organic products with different sectors which increases the chances of the development of agricultural exports in world markets.

The minister pointed out that the ministry’s plan includes planting 33,000 hectares of organic cultivation, which has a great demand in foreign markets and to opening centers for inspection, monitoring and giving certifications of this product and rewarding  prices of such organic plants.

For his part, the Minister of Industry, Kamal Eddine Tomah, explained that agricultural industries are geared to the industrial sector and to support food security, which the Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to ensure for all citizens, stressing that the national program to support the infrastructure of quality in Syria which is one of the most important projects approved by the Syrian government to raise the efficiency of economic performance and development of the competitive level of the Syrianproductive sectors.

The minister pointed out that the goal is to achieve a high specification product according to international requirements and supplied with certificates be accepted at the Arab and international levels to raise the level of the competitiveness of the Syrian economy with its various sectors to ensure the security and safety of the Syrianconsumer.

The first memo included the availability of information and the exchange of the necessary ones between the bureau of organic production and the Syrian center for accreditation services for the licensing of certification bodies, identifying the personnel required for rehabilitation in the areas of specifications and certification of products.

The second memo included providing the basic necessities for the organization of the organic sector between the bureau of organic production and the national program to support quality infrastructure, including the licensing of donors for certification systems and individuals, identifying the specifications and technical standards required for the sector of organic production, cooperation in the preparation of the national policy for the organic production and rehabilitation the cadres organic production bureau and to disseminate the culture of quality and its concepts and their application to the staff working in the directorate and the fundamentals of their commitment to achieving quality.

Sh. Kh.