Isis is strangling Syrian trade but a new orange co-operative is turning to Russia

Scroll down a Google image search of Syria and all you will find is images of war. There is seemingly no evidence of the country’s fertile landscape, its once thriving agriculture sector or its colourful exports of tomatoes, oranges, apples and livestock.

The country’s economy and the livelihoods of its people have been shattered by the civil war – but there are some green shoots of production and trade in the country, as communities turn to agriculture to help them rebuild their future.

“Syria used to be beautiful and prosperous,” says Firas al-Ali, a Syrian-born brain surgeon, now living in the US, who is helping to resurrect his family’s historic orange business on the country’s west coast.

“My parents have around 50 to 70 acres of oranges ... The only markets they have open are very local for very cheap prices. Trade in this area is dead – there is no business in construction, hospitality, hairdressing, you name it. I know people who were wealthy who are now poor. Only growers still have the potential to trade.”

The crisis in Syria has displaced around six million people from their homes and neighbourhoods due to violence, fear and occupation, according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research. In addition, the research found that nearly 14 million Syrians have lost their livelihoods, with the country’s GDP in 2013 dropping (pdf) to 41% of the pre-crisis level in 2010.

Ali explains: “The main challenge in western Syria is not immediate security, but loss of loved ones, loss of income, significant overcrowding due to internal displacement, and the infrastructure is under significant stress.”  One of the most damaging effects on trade is that traditional export routes through the east of the country to Iraq and the Gulf markets are now blocked due to Islamic State occupation. “Eastern Syria is nearly all controlled by Isis, so the traditional route through to Iraq is not safe for truck drivers,” he says, adding that there is enough food in western Syria, but there are no longer enough markets. “Isis come to destroy so they won’t buy from us and help the economy. For exports the sea is now the only way out.”

So Ali cajoled his 80-year-old father out of retirement, and has begun the process of creating a new orange growing co-operative to help establish an export business with Russia. The journey is four days by sea, he explains, and Russia also has a gap for orange supply since banning imports from Turkey at the start of this year.

Along with several other growers from the region, Ali’s co-operative, as yet unnamed, raised $250,000 (£180,000) from members for a new packhouse, generator, and waxing machine – all crucial in order to produce a high enough quality product for the international market.

Situated around 14km from the port city of Latakia, away from the primary areas of conflict in Syria, he hopes to begin exporting in November, and says the project will support around 50 people ranging from orange pickers, drivers, cleaners, factory workers, administrators and accountants.