The decision to raise fuel prices in Syria has triggered a new wave of pressure on living conditions, directly affecting the transport and agriculture sectors, amid complaints from residents and workers in Raqqa governorate (northern Syria) about rising costs for transportation and daily work.
The Syrian Petroleum Company raised prices of various petroleum derivatives and fuels days ago by up to 30%, citing “rising global supply costs and fluctuations in oil prices.” At the same time, economists warn of broad repercussions for the prices of goods and services.
Transport First Hit
Mohammad al-Awwas, 35, had to stop operating his minibus after fuel prices rose and fares no longer matched operating costs.
Al-Awwas told Enab Baladi that he used to transport passengers between the town of Suluq (Raqqa countryside, northern Syria) and Raqqa city for a fare of 250 Turkish liras ($5.5), before costs increased after the fuel price hike.
He added that continuing to work was no longer economically viable, considering that stopping the vehicle was “easier” than placing additional burdens on passengers, amid expectations that transport fares will rise to 300 Turkish liras ($6.6).
After leaving transport work, al-Awwas turned to construction jobs to secure his daily livelihood, noting that the increase in fuel prices “completely paralyzed work” at a time when residents are already suffering from difficult living conditions.
A fuel station in Raqqa city, 10 May 2026 (Enab Baladi, Ahmed al-Hamdi)
Transport Fares Rise
The transport sector in Raqqa is witnessing a noticeable increase in fares, directly affecting workers and employees who rely on daily travel between villages and the city.
Khalil al-Ali, a resident of the town of al-Hamrat in eastern Raqqa countryside, said transport fares on short distances ranging between 8 and 12 kilometers increased by about 2,000 Syrian pounds ($0.2) per passenger.
Al-Ali told Enab Baladi that the fare from al-Hamrat to Raqqa city rose to 10,000 Syrian pounds ($0.9), after it had been around 8,000 Syrian pounds ($0.7) before fuel prices were raised.
He added that transport costs have become a growing daily burden and may exceed 30,000 Syrian pounds ($2.6) per day for one person, especially for employees and workers.
Repercussions for Markets
The impact of higher fuel prices is not limited to the transport sector, but extends to the prices of goods and merchandise as transport and shipping costs rise.
Residents who spoke to Enab Baladi said the major increase in fuel prices has directly affected various sectors, from transport to agriculture and daily work.
Al-Ali said, “The rise in fuel prices has negatively affected everything, from people’s transportation to agricultural work, and even the simplest details of daily life have become more expensive.”
Agriculture Under Pressure
The effects of higher fuel prices are more evident in agricultural areas, which rely mainly on fuel to operate agricultural machinery and transport workers and crops.
Farmer Ali al-Mustafa, a resident of al-Hamrat, told Enab Baladi that all agricultural work is tied to fuel, starting with plowing and harvesting and extending to operating irrigation pumps.
Al-Mustafa asked, “How much will it cost to harvest a dunum of wheat? And how much will it cost to plow and irrigate the land?”
He added that residents had hoped fuel prices would fall, not rise, especially after previous statements spoke about the possibility of diesel prices dropping to around 5,000 Syrian pounds ($0.4).
Criticism of Economic Policy
University professor and economic expert Majdi al-Jamous considered the latest economic decisions to be “shifting burdens onto the people,” noting that governments are supposed to work to ease living pressures, not increase them.
Al-Jamous told Enab Baladi earlier that the former regime adopted a socialist economy “without achieving social justice,” while the current government is moving toward a free economy “without citizens feeling its benefits.”
Journalist Ahmed Othman, for his part, described the decision to raise fuel prices as “unsuccessful,” especially as Syrians need economic recovery after years of deteriorating living conditions.
Othman noted that the impact of rising prices is not limited to transport, but extends to agriculture, health care, and the prices of goods and services in general, affecting even citizens who do not own cars.
He added that any increase in fuel prices should be accompanied by improved salaries, warning that the gap between income and living costs could widen.
The post Fuel Prices Squeeze Farming, Transport in Raqqa appeared first on Enab Baladi.