The diversity of the environment and climate is a feature of Syrian geography, which contributed to the growth of a wide variety of plant products and the life of many types of animals, which provided a series of food products. The Syrian food security wall was not limited to the local market, but reached many countries' markets for its comparative advantage and occupied part of the tables of many. around the world.

 

Although the industrial sector suffered significant damage during the crisis, the determination of the food manufacturers in Syria has not changed, and a considerable proportion of them have been produced based on local or imported raw materials, realizing the adequacy of the local market and directing part of their total products to foreign markets.

 

A study of the Syrian Exporters Union showed that the number of exported items reached about 750 products, mostly food products, reaching 109 countries, including Arab, European and American countries in 2017 and 2018 despite the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the Western and Arab countries on the Syrian people.

 

"The relative advantage of Syrian food products is what makes our food exports take the lead and compete with similar products in the foreign markets, which are the first of these products, such as flavor and special taste, such as apricot jam, Tomatoes, olive oil, almonds, cumin, aniseed and sheep meat. They are a difficult and unrivaled number in those markets and have become a model for boasting about consumer tables in the importing countries.

 

He explained that the good manufacturing processes and the conformity of our products to the national standard specifications, which is a global standard, as well as the interest in packaging and additional factors make the competitiveness of our food products higher and make their demand in these markets, pointing out that Syrian products impose their presence in the markets despite the local products Competition for direct support from exporters in some countries is up to 18 percent, while our export products do not receive direct support.

 

In order to increase the competitiveness of local products in foreign markets and to benefit the national economy more, GQ calls for a reduction in tariffs on primary products for food processing because added value is achieved when locally manufactured, providing wide employment opportunities, meeting local market needs and exporting surplus. Exports in order to increase the distribution of our exports in foreign markets and achieve higher competition for their counterparts in those markets.

 

Damascus Chamber of Industry and Rural and other industrial and commercial chambers, in cooperation with the Exporters' Union, seeks to establish external exhibitions for the Syrian industries, including in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Algeria and others and opening centers for Syrian exports in many foreign markets.

 

With the reopening of the Nisib border crossing with Jordan and the expected opening of border crossing points with Iraq, our exports will rise during the coming year, according to the head of the Exporters Union Mohammed Al-Sawah, who pointed out that all this comes within the strategy of government support for export, And the value of exports.

 

In order to enhance the presence of food products in the foreign markets and to ensure their arrival and continuity there, Quality Management Consultant Muhannad Tutnji points out the need for its producers to comply with food safety standards, ie ISO 9001, which protects establishments and contractors, indicating that any company has a quality mark that gives confidence to its products.

 

Advisor Ziad Ramzi, the main auditor of Quality Management Systems, points to the need to avoid problems related to the violation of the technical conditions faced by exporting companies in developing countries. This requires obtaining the correct information about the mandatory technical requirements in the target markets so that they can adapt their products to meet these requirements and obtain the reliability of the food safety management system Applicable to the Company and the use of certificates of conformity issued by recognized grantees in the target markets.