Syria is rebuilding its cotton-to-textile chain, but high cultivation costs, water scarcity and uncertain farmer returns threaten the recovery before industrial capacity can scale.
Syria expects cotton production to reach approximately 79,467 tonnes in 2026, up 14% from 69,587 tonnes last season, as the country attempts to rebuild an industry severely damaged by conflict, underinvestment and declining cultivation.
A key step came on September 30 when the Mhardeh cotton ginnery in Hama resumed operations after four years, processing around 12 tonnes of seed cotton per shift. The Al-Assi ginnery in Hama and Tishreen facility in Aleppo are also operating, while Al-Fida remains offline.
Water is constraining the recovery
Production conditions remain difficult. In the Ghab agricultural region, farmers planted only 4.4 hectares against a planned 450 hectares this season. Before Syria’s conflict, the region produced more than 22,000 tonnes of cotton from about 7,000 hectares.
The contraction reflects high costs for fuel, seed, fertiliser and labour alongside deteriorating irrigation infrastructure. FAO separately describes Syria’s agriculture as highly vulnerable to recurring drought, constrained water resources and increasing climatic variability.
Farmers harvest without price certainty
Raqqa remains an important production zone. By October 7, farmers had harvested 1,137 hectares and produced around 3,166 tonnes from 13,700 hectares planted. Local agricultural officials estimate production costs at roughly $700 per tonne, while growers began harvesting without an established official procurement mechanism.
Saudi partnership targets full value chain
Syria is also seeking outside investment. In March, the government signed an MoU with Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Design Company covering rehabilitation of state-owned ginneries, spinning mills and weaving plants, technical studies and training for about 5,000 workers.
The strategy is notable because Syria is targeting the entire chain rather than cotton production alone. The decisive test will be whether irrigation rehabilitation, predictable farm pricing and modernised spinning and weaving capacity can restore enough confidence for farmers to expand acreage. Without reliable raw-cotton supply, reopening ginneries alone will not rebuild Syria’s historic textile industry.
