Syria plans to expand agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia after $250 million year
Syria is preparing a strategy to increase agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia by improving processing, packaging and compliance with Saudi standards. Haitham Joud said shipments reached about $250 million in 2025 and identified olive oil, fresh produce, oils, fats and livestock products as key categories.
Export plan targets Saudi market requirements
Syria is preparing a strategic plan to increase agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia and adapt its food-processing industry to Saudi standards. Haitham Joud, chairman of the Syrian-Saudi Business Council, said Syrian agricultural exports to the kingdom were worth about $250 million in 2025.
The plan focuses on upgrading processing, packing, packaging and technical specifications so Syrian goods can enter and be promoted in major regional markets. Speaking during the 360 Food Syria exhibition, Joud said the country has distinctive agricultural production and exportable surpluses, but that some products still need further development to satisfy the requirements of foreign markets.
Olive oil leads the value-added strategy
Olive oil is at the center of the proposed shift from bulk agricultural output toward processed and packaged products. Joud said the council is working to turn agricultural commodities, led by olive oil, into manufactured and packaged goods carrying a Made in Syria label and meeting international standards.
The initiative therefore extends beyond increasing shipment volumes. It seeks to capture more value through domestic processing, consistent product specifications and retail-ready presentation. These factors are especially relevant for suppliers seeking sustained access to Saudi distribution channels, where conformity, quality control and packaging can determine whether a product moves beyond occasional consignments into regular commercial supply.
Fresh produce, oils and livestock already reach Saudi Arabia
Syria’s current agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia cover a broad range of goods. The reported categories include fresh fruit and vegetables, vegetable and animal oils and fats, livestock, and related products. The source did not provide a breakdown of the $250 million total by commodity, shipment volume or growth rate.
Joud said using Syrian expertise and labor in food processing could help provide between 40,000 and 50,000 jobs annually. The estimate links the export strategy to employment in processing, packing, packaging and other activities required to prepare agricultural goods for external markets. No timetable, investment figure or individual processing projects were disclosed.
Standards and quality control remain the main test
For Syrian producers and processors, the immediate market-access challenge is to bring goods into line with Saudi technical requirements while maintaining consistent quality across shipments. The plan also envisages drawing on Saudi experience in food-industry development and quality control as bilateral economic relations strengthen.
Syria’s location is presented as another advantage because it can connect Arab and regional markets. That position alone, however, does not resolve the commercial requirements facing exporters. Processors will need products that meet specifications consistently, packaging suited to the destination market and enough exportable surplus to support dependable supply.
The $250 million recorded in 2025 provides a base for expansion, but the next stage will depend on execution. For olive oil and other agricultural goods, movement into branded, processed formats could raise the share of value retained in Syria. For Saudi buyers, successful implementation could broaden the pool of regional suppliers, provided Syrian companies can meet the required standards at commercial scale.