Nisreen Idrees
General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research-
(GCSAR), Rural Damascus  Research Center, Syria
Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Ba’ath University,
2007

Abstract

This study was conducted in Homs and Hama provinces through a simple random sample farmers, including 250 respondents in 12 villages. Through this study we defined marketing channels  used by farmers. The results are summed by: (i) grape-planted area is decreasing in the course of time in  the Central Zone but  the yield per hectare increased continuously; (ii) Hilwany and Bitamony grape covered 40% of planted area in Central Zone vs. 60% for Bayady; (iii) Bayady grape is marketed by Homs Company for Grape Manufacturing and Distillation in Zidel, while Hilwany and Bitamony are  marketed in the wholesale and by dealers; (iv) Homs Company for Grape Manufacturing and Distillation has a weakness in storage capacity, resulting in less ability to take in more production of grape in its season; (v) control process is the most cost one of service processes; (vi) wholesale dealers’ high commission reaching more than 7%; (vii) prices of Hilwany grape are more than those of Bitamony and Bayady; (viii) grape is more favorable for the local consumer than other fruits especially full and moderate bunches while seedless grapes aren’t preferred by consumer, and  75% of consumers was afraid of abnormal pigmentation of  bunches; (ix) Syria is the main Arab grape exporter  and its share increases year by year, however GCC countries are the largest importer for Syrian grape; (x) the application of insecticide, fertilizers and hormones isnt well-planned; and (xi) Syrian-European Partnership will adversely affect grape marketing future in  Syria, whereas the Arab Common Market hasnt any effects. Moreover, accession to the World Trade Organization will open wide horizons for grape marketing.
Key words: grape marketing,  Hilwany,  Bitamony, Bayady