Syria seeks revival of Arab exports as sanctions ease and trade links reopen
Shafaq News – Damascus
Syria is pushing to revive its exports to Arab markets after years of decline caused by war, sanctions, and deteriorating infrastructure, according to the Local Production and Export Support and Development Authority.
Ayman Hamwiyeh, the head of the authority, told Shafaq News that Syria’s exports to Arab countries have averaged US $500–800 million annually over the past three years, though the absence of precise data and widespread informal trade obscures the full picture.
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon remain Syria’s most important Arab trade partners. Exports to Iraq — mainly ready-made garments, fruits, and food products — are valued at about US $115 million, while exports to Saudi Arabia, largely food and dairy items, total roughly US $43 million.
Hamwiyeh described olive oil as Syria’s flagship product, generating more than US $300 million in revenue over the past two years. “Despite the sharp fall in total exports since 2011, volumes have stabilized because they already reached their lowest levels years ago.”
Most of Syria’s current exports consist of raw agricultural goods such as citrus, apples, cumin, and tomatoes, alongside olive oil. Hamwiyeh said the government’s new strategy aims to shift toward manufactured and higher-value agricultural products by offering tax incentives, improving transport networks, and launching a national export-marketing platform supported by market data and brand-building initiatives.
He acknowledged, however, that progress is constrained by poor logistics, weak digital infrastructure, and international sanctions that still complicate banking transactions and raise export costs.
The authority is trying to counter these barriers by promoting Syrian products in international exhibitions such as Gulfood in Dubai, and the Baghdad International Fair, which Hamwiyeh described as “vital channels to reconnect Syrian producers with regional markets.”
