ROME (REUTERS) - Four million Syrians, or a fifth of the population, are unable to produce or buy enough food for their needs and the situation could deteriorate further next year if the two-year old conflict continues, the United Nations (UN) said on Friday.

Following a visit to Syria between May and June, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a report that domestic production over the next 12 months is likely to be severely compromised.

The agencies estimated that Syria would need to import 1.5 million tonnes of wheat for the 2013/14 season. Wheat production has fallen to 2.4 million tonnes, some 40 per cent less than the annual average harvest before the conflict of more than 4 million tonnes, they said.