$3.3B Syrian Agri-Food Project Aims to Drive Economic Recovery

A Qatari company has launched a massive farming and food-processing project in Syria, valued at $3.3 billion. The initiative is expected to generate thousands of jobs as Gulf investors intensify their involvement in the country's economic recovery. Baladna Food Industries, through its subsidiary Baladna Syria, will manage the project across 2,400 square kilometers.

The project aims to produce commodities from cotton and wheat to finished goods like textiles and cheese. The company will contract local farmers nationwide to grow staples and other food, providing them with materials and know-how to boost yields.

Speaking at Agritek Syria, an expo in Damascus sponsored by Baladna, Kamel Al Abdullah said he expected agriculture to drive economic recovery and social stability. He noted that Syria has the soil, diverse climate, sufficient water in the Euphrates, and accumulated farming knowledge, as well as access to regional markets.

Mr Al Abdullah emphasized the need for continued stabilisation and consistent development policies to rebuild infrastructure and education. Agriculture accounted for 43% of Syria's GDP in 2024, up from 21% in 2011, although the economy had contracted massively during the civil war.