Syrian authorities announced on Sunday that a wheat shipment had arrived at the Mediterranean port of Latakia, marking the first such delivery since the December ouster of former ruler Bashar al-Assad.
In a statement, the Syrian Authority for Land and Sea Ports confirmed that “The first ship carrying wheat since the fall of the former regime arrived today at Latakia port, carrying 6,600 tons of wheat.” The source of the wheat was not explicitly mentioned; however, the authority released an image of the vessel, the Pola Marina, which Marine Traffic records show as a Russian-flagged ship that departed from Rostov-on-Don earlier this month.
The port authority described the shipment as part of ongoing efforts to secure basic needs and strengthen food security, highlighting that more vital supplies are expected to arrive in the coming period. It also termed the shipment a clear indication of a new phase in economic recovery for Syria.
Prior to the civil war that began in 2011, following Assad’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests, Syria’s domestic wheat production averaged 4.1 million tons annually, enough to satisfy local consumption. The conflict, however, devastated agricultural output, forcing the country to increasingly rely on imports, particularly from Russia, an ally of Assad.
The arrival of this shipment follows a February report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which estimated that nine out of ten Syrians live in poverty and face food insecurity. The report also mentioned earlier that by 2024, national wheat production would cover only about 65% of Syria’s consumption needs.
To revive the crippled economy and support the country’s reconstruction efforts after nearly 14 years of conflict, the new authorities have been advocating for the lifting of Assad-era sanctions, although wheat is not covered by these measures.
Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in late December that Ukraine had sent its first shipment of food aid to Syria, comprising 500 tons of wheat flour.
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