Ali Issa Salloum*(1), Mohsen Salim Jahjaah(1), and Ali Ahmed Ali (2)
(1).Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
(2). Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Ali Issa Salloum, email: alisalloum992040@gmail.com)
Received: 19/11/2023 Accepted: 1/4/2024
Abstract:
The research aimed to know the role of vegetables and fruit sorting and packaging facilities in dealing with citrus growers and brokers, and the returns they achieve for them, in addition to distributing production from the citrus crop in the Qurdaha region during the period extending from 1/8/2021 to 1/8/2022. The study sample included 5 comprehensive fruit and vegetables sorting and packaging facilities operating in the Qurdaha area, in addition to a number of farmers and middlemen (guarantors) distributed in the study area. The results showed that the studied facilities limited their work to citrus fruits during the year studied, as they dealt with (382) citrus farmers distributed within the study area, representing (7,38%) of the total numbers of citrus farmers in this area. These facilities were also able to achieve a profit for various categories of customers (farmers and brokers) from whom they buy citrus fruits for one kilogram, especially those dealing with the Balancia variety. Noting the decrease in profit achieved by farmers whose production is purchased by facilities with a guarantee that precedes the citrus season by several months compared to other categories of customers, it decreased to 125 SYP/Kg for dealers in the Balancia variety, and 25SYP/Kg for dealers in other citrus varieties. The results also showed the studies facilities attracted (8,608) tons of citrus fruits from fields distributed within the study area, representing (15,5 %) of the total citrus production in the studied area, which amounted to (55,430) tons during the year studied.
Key words: sorting and packaging, citrus, Balancia, farmers, brokers, Citrus marketing, Qurdaha area.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF