Syria sets target to plant 50,000 hectares of cotton to revive pre-war output

The Syrian Ministry of Agriculture announced plans at the 41st Cotton Conference in Aleppo on March 26 to cultivate 50,000 hectares of cotton this season, aiming to restore production toward levels seen about 15 years ago. Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr said the recovery will require expanding planted area, raising yields through modern irrigation and new high‑performance varieties adapted to climate stress, and closer cooperation with research institutions and the private sector. The ministry frames cotton as a strategic, export‑oriented crop that can supply raw materials for textile and oilseed industries and help earn foreign currency.

Details and challenges

Cotton Bureau Director Mohammed Maari told Enab Baladi that while 40,000 hectares had been planned for 2025, only 25,000 hectares were actually sown; the ministry’s goal for this year is 50,000 hectares, with planting beginning in early April and production forecasts to follow. The ministry has pledged to buy the entire harvest from farmers who follow its guidance and conference resolutions; Maari expected the 2025 purchase price to be about 8,500 SYP/kg (roughly $0.70), with this year’s price to be set after assessing costs at season end. Officials cited decades‑long declines tied to the conflict, displacement, reduced state support, and shrinking water resources — noting cotton area fell from 237,000 ha in 2005 to 32,000 ha in 2020 and output plunged from historical highs — and stressed the need for water‑efficient practices and renewed marketing to bring the sector back to exportable surplus. as reported by Enab Baladi