Homs, (ST) - The Homs Agricultural Directorate estimated the governorate's production of dates at 1475 tons during the current season, out of a total cultivated area of 1541 dunums.

The Director of Homs Agriculture, Engineer Nazih al-Rifai, stated to SANA correspondent that the total number of trees for the irrigated area reached 130008 trees, of which 9506 were fruitful, and there were no areas planted with seeds.

The Ministry of Finance issued a press release regarding the Cabinet’s decision No. 46, which stipulated that Syrian citizens have to exchange 100 USD or its equivalent in the foreign currencies accepted by the Central Bank of Syria to the Syrian pounds according to the exchange rates mentioned in the Customs and Aviation Bulletin upon entering the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. The decision exempts drivers and those who have not reached the age of eighteen.

The statement pointed out that Article 10 of Legislative Decree No. 20 of 2017, which is governing the work of the Cabinet, stipulates that the Cabinet is authorized to supervise the regulation and management of monetary, credit and insurance systems and maintain state funds.

The industrial sector in Tartous is striving to overcome the difficulties that impede its growth, especially the conditions of the industrial license which deprive the governorate of important industrial investments that absorb the surplus of agricultural production as a factor for oils, juices and consortium and employ a large number of workers.

Eng. Ammar Ali, Director of Tartous Industry, underlined  the importance of mobilizing efforts with the relevant ministries to address the economic blockade by amending laws that impede industrial development and create appropriate conditions for local investments. He referred to amending the condition of classification of soil and distance from the forest, as most of the governorate’s lands are agricultural and the rest is forests. Eng. Ali highlighted the importance of securing the necessary financing for the completion of projects of industrial and craft areas, putting them into investment at the maximum speed, and securing financial support for the owners of the licensed projects to implement them.

PARIS, (ST) – Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, warned that while the world may be past the worst of the coronavirus crisis, a recovery will likely not be straight forward.

She added the economic crisis caused by the outbreak of the new Corona epidemic will affect deeply on the global economy.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about the "sharpest, deepest recession," but "we are probably past the lowest point," Lagarde said Friday during the online Northern Lights Summit, adding that "we are moving towards a recovery."

The International Monetary Fund confirmed that the Corona pandemic will cause the highest levels of economic recession for nearly a hundred years, especially as the crisis worsens due to the spread of the virus in various emerging and developing economies.

More details are available in the following link:

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/24/economy/imf-economic-outlook/index.html

Inas Abdulkareem