More than a decade of war has dealt a devastating blow to Syria’s food industry, one of the country’s most vital sectors tied directly to food security and the national economy. Production facilities shut down, infrastructure was destroyed, and supply chains collapsed, reflecting the broader disintegration of Syria’s industrial framework.
The food industry, long dependent on agricultural and livestock products and serving as a key bridge between rural regions and industrial hubs, has experienced a sharp decline. This has been especially apparent in major cities like Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs, where military operations, intense bombardments, and disruptions to basic services have taken a heavy toll.
Ziad Sabbagh, the Minister of Industry under the ousted regime, previously stated that total damage to Syria’s public and private industrial sectors during the war years exceeded 600 to 1,000 billion Syrian pounds, roughly $150 billion. He also revealed that approximately 67% of the country’s critical infrastructure and development projects had been destroyed, underscoring the scale of devastation across the industrial landscape.
In February 2018, the Syrian State Corporation for Food Industries estimated actual losses in the food sector at 590 million Syrian pounds, equivalent to around $1 million, for that year alone. The institution attributed this to low production implementation rates in facilities such as Hama Oils, Aleppo Oils, Damascus Dairy, onion drying plants, and Suwayda grape processors. The shortfalls were linked to a shortage of raw materials relative to planned capacities and government-set administrative pricing on cotton seeds, which further hampered the execution of production plans.
Abed Fadhila, a professor at the Faculty of Economics at Damascus University, told the seventh issue of the printed edition of +963 that “The war in Syria has negatively affected all sectors, activities and productive economic events of commodity, especially those located on the urban fringes and deep into the countryside, primarily in agriculture, since most military actions were near or on the side of agricultural lands.” He added that the war’s most severe impact was not directly on agro-food industrialisation, but rather on agricultural output, which underpins food manufacturing. He also highlighted the displacement of farmers from their land, particularly in the north and east of the country, as a major factor in the sector’s decline.
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Cultivation of Manufacturing Outputs
Fadhila emphasises that reviving Syria’s agro-food industry begins with reinvigorating the cultivation of crops intended for industrial processing, outputs that, in turn, drive and sustain food-based manufacturing, especially in rural areas. He noted that these crops are not only central to consumption patterns in the countryside but are also vital inputs for trade markets. Their importance stems not merely from their role as food but also as key industrial materials and strategic non-food components.
Inheritance and Anticipation
Fadhila further explained that one of the critical variables facing Syria’s industrial sector in the post-regime era is the state of anticipation that has prevailed across both productive and non-productive spheres, particularly in agriculture and food manufacturing. However, he added that this transitional phase is beginning to fade, giving way to increasing economic activity, thanks to growing internal stability and an improving political climate both domestically and internationally.
On April 13, World Food Programme Deputy Executive Director and Director of Operations Carl Skau warned of the worsening food crisis in Syria, urging the international community to ease sanctions and increase investment in humanitarian programs.
In remarks made during a session on Syria at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum in Turkey, Skau underscored “the importance of investing in Syrian farmers and providing direct cash and food assistance,” stressing that “achieving food security is the foundation for stability in Syria and the wider region.”
Lack of Regulation
Dr. Kamil al-Sarri, Professor of Economics and International Relations at Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi, highlighted another critical challenge facing Syria’s agricultural sector: the absence of market regulation for the sale of agricultural products. He also pointed to outdated systems of harvesting, transportation, storage, and trade, which increase losses along the supply chain and prevent Syrian products from competing in international markets.
Speaking to the seventh issue of the printed edition of +963, al-Sarri noted that “since the outbreak of the Syrian Revolution in 2011 and the regime’s use of violence, destruction, and displacement, vast areas of farmland have become inaccessible due to the presence of thousands of unexploded ordnances and landmines.” He urged international organisations to assist in mine removal so farmers can reclaim and cultivate their lands, thereby contributing to agricultural and food production nationwide.
According to United Nations reports, the collapse of the food industry has directly impacted Syria’s food security. Prices have soared to unprecedented levels, and the country now ranks among the most severely food-insecure in the world.
While some factories have made limited attempts to restart operations, comprehensive and coordinated plans for the sector’s rehabilitation remain urgently needed. Such efforts are crucial for restoring stability, reviving the sector’s contribution to the national economy, and securing livelihoods for millions of Syrians.
Economic experts stress that the significant role of Syria’s food industry should motivate local investors to resume operations in their production facilities. At the same time, foreign capital must be encouraged to invest in modernising outdated industrial methods, improving production quality, expanding export potential, and creating job opportunities through more labour-intensive operations.
