Agricultural imports from Syria has decreased by 80 percent, but the shortage will be made up by imports from Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Europe, said Saifallah Sharbatli, chief of Mohammad Abdullah Sharbatli, a major importer of agricultural products.

He said turning to these markets had contributed to increasing prices, because shipping from these countries was more expensive than Syria.

Vegetable prices in the Saudi markets have lately been going up between 10 and 20 percent. Fruit prices decreased in comparison to corresponding periods, and in comparison to price of vegetables.

Sharbatli expected the price of fruits to decrease and the price of vegetables to stabilize in the coming days.

Wasif Kabli, deputy chief of the commercial committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the volume of imports from Syria had decreased, but there are alternative markets that will provide the Saudi market with the required supplies of agricultural products.

He said looking toward alternative markets doesn’t necessarily mean increasing prices, because cheaper products can be sourced. But prices could be affected by the price of shipping from these areas, he said, adding that merchants and importers of agricultural products usually look for the best and cheapest prices, in addition to supplying the market with its needs.