Syria Tightens Import Curbs to Save Scarce Dollars for Wheat
- Government stops imports of goods from cheese to mobile phones
- Move signals war-torn nation’s dollar shortages are worsening
Farmers harvest wheat south of Damascus, Syria.
Photographer: Louai Beshara/AFP/Getty Images
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Syria blocked imports of items ranging from cheddar cheese to cashew nuts and mobile phones as the war-torn country seeks to save its dwindling foreign currency reserves for purchases of wheat.
The central bank on Monday requested that the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade carry out a six-month suspension, state news agency SANA reported. The list of 20 items includes metal pipes and ceramics.