Minister of Agriculture: 500 dunums of land reclaimed as part of the project to expand the Damascene Rose Cultivation

Damascus (ST) – Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Muhammad Hassan Qatana was briefed on the reality of the Damascene Rose fields in Al-Marah and Al-Qastal areas in Damascus countryside, as part of the project to expand the cultivation of the Levantine rose.

Qatana affirmed that the Ministry has reclaimed 500 dunums for this project this year, and has provided all the necessary supplies for cultivating this area as the implementation of the project  is being tracked in cooperation with the Syria Trust for Development and Damascus Countryside Agriculture Directorate to implement the work plan.

He noted that a water well was dug for the project, supplied with solar energy, and a large water tank was created to encourage farmers to reclaim the lands and plant the Damascene Rose there.

Qatana indicated that the Ministry plans to expand this agricultural activity in the Nabek and Qara areas by drilling new water wells.

Qatana stressed that the Damascene Rose production chain will be linked with manufacturing and marketing. Farmers and the agricultural association will be encouraged to establish a centre to market the product on the Damascus-Homs highway.

For his part, the Director of Agriculture in Damascus Countryside Irfan Ziadeh stated that all the necessary agricultural services, including heavy machinery and others, were provided to the farmers in the region, in addition to about 40 thousand seedlings free of charge to be planted in these fields, provided by the Farmers’ Union and the local community.

Najla Khoury