Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria exported roughly 10,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables aboard 400 refrigerated trucks over the past 10 days, with Gulf countries accounting for the largest share, Mohammed Al-Aqqad, a member of the Damascus Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Committee told Shafaq News.

Al-Aqqad said each refrigerated truck carried about 25 tonnes. “Most Syrian fruit exports go to Gulf markets, where demand is driven by product quality, taste and the variety available throughout the agricultural seasons,” he said.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the leading Gulf destinations for Syrian agricultural products, while exports also reach Iraq. Exports to other markets remain limited.

Al-Aqqad identified Jordanian agricultural products as a major competitor to Syrian produce in Gulf and Iraqi markets. He said Syrian trucks transiting Jordan, particularly at the Jaber crossing on the Jordanian side of the Syria-Jordan border, sometimes face delays and border procedures that disrupt the flow of goods.

Competition depends not only on product quality but also on transport and transit conditions, costs and border procedures, all of which affect whether Syrian produce can reach foreign markets on time and at competitive prices, he added.

Al-Aqqad said export volumes also depend on domestic production, agricultural seasons and demand in foreign markets.