Shabab Nasser(1), Ali Abdalaziz(1), Naji AL-Fraj(1)ُand Alaa Hamo(1)

(1). Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.

(Corresponding author: Eng: Alaa Hamo. E -mail: alaasuliman@outlook.com)

Received: 20/1/2020 Accepted: 14/2/2020

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the foreign trade of sheep in Syria using the gravity model which is considered one of the important models in the external trade using panel data. The study also aimed to identify the most important factors that affect the flow of sheep into the global market during the period (1961-2013). The results indicated that the most important trading partners in Syria are Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. The results of the estimated model showed the effect of independent variables (gross domestic product, geographical distance, and economic distance) on the dependent variable, which is Syrian sheep exports for the period (2001-2010), where there was a positive relationship between the gross domestic product and Syrian sheep exports. That is, the increase in the gross domestic product in Syria and the partner countries increases the exports of sheep. There was also a negative relationship between sheep exports and the economic distance, while the relationship between geographical distance and exports was a positive relationship contrary to the economic logic. The study concluded that the gross domestic product of Syria and the amount of sheep produced and exported annually are among the most important determinants of the flow of sheep to the global market. These factors constituted about 97% of the determinants of the flow of Syrian sheep to the global market. The study recommended the necessity of encouraging breeders to invest in sheep breeding projects, and to search for new export destinations in order to reduce the degree of risk resulting from the concentration of exports to one market.

Key words: Awas sheep, Gravity model, exports, Syria.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF