by Hummam Sheikh Ali
HAMA, Syria, June 30 (Xinhua) -- In the fertile wetlands of Syria's al-Ghab Plain in Hama province, the familiar croaking of frogs is no longer just a sound of nature.
For 40-year-old Hassan al-Dulaimi, it is the beginning of an unusual business that he hopes will revive a forgotten industry and create new export opportunities for a nation emerging from years of conflict.
After returning home following years of displacement abroad, al-Dulaimi established what he says is the first specialized frog farm in the area in late 2025, raising frogs for restaurants, medical research, pharmaceutical uses, and export.
He first entered the industry while living as a refugee in Türkiye, working in seasonal frog farming between 2014 and 2018.
"I mastered the farming techniques because we always hoped we would return. Thank God we came back and brought this investment with us," al-Dulaimi said.
His farm blends almost seamlessly into the marshland. Shallow ponds covered with patches of green grass stretch across the enclosure, where flowing water, insects and reeds create an environment that closely resembles the frogs' natural habitat.
The constant croaking echoes across the fields, while frogs leap into the water at the slightest disturbance before quietly resurfacing moments later.
Walking through the breeding ponds requires careful steps. Al-Dulaimi moves barefoot through the shallow water, scanning the grass before reaching down with practiced hands to gently pick up several large frogs.
Holding them proudly, he says the clean waters and favorable climate of the al-Ghab Plain allow Syrian frogs to grow larger than those he raised elsewhere during his years abroad, making them attractive to both local buyers and foreign markets.
Unlike traditional frog collection, which relies on harvesting wild frogs and can disrupt local ecosystems, al-Dulaimi said modern breeding offers a more sustainable alternative while meeting growing market demand.
He currently produces around 150 kg of live frogs per month. Domestic demand has already exceeded his expectations, with annual demand estimated at three tons after media coverage attracted restaurant owners from Damascus and other cities.
He is now expanding the farm with additional breeding ponds to prepare for exports.
"Exporting will benefit me, the people, and the country," he said.
From above, the farm appears as a small patch of marshland surrounded by the fertile agricultural fields of western Hama province. But for al-Dulaimi, it represents something far greater: the product of skills acquired during years of displacement, and a symbol of how returning Syrians can transform experience gained abroad into new investments that create jobs and revive neglected sectors at home.
"I advise every young Syrian living abroad who has learned a profession that does not yet exist in Syria to come back and invest here. Many projects can be even more successful in Syria ... and they can benefit both the country and its people," he said.
