Wood charcoal market in Syria

Earlier Report Observations

Syria's wood charcoal market volume grew steadily from 3 217 t in 2018 to a peak of 5 416 t in 2022, an increase driven entirely by rising imports as domestic production remained flat at 2 700 t annually. Imports surged from 549 t to 2 747 t over those five years, indicating a strong and growing reliance on foreign supply to meet local demand. The market experienced a slight correction in 2023, with volume easing to 5 170 t as imports declined modestly.

By 2024, industry reports highlighted record demand for charcoal across Syria, despite regional variations. Specialized suppliers, such as Charcoal Africa and Al-Mabrouk Company, were actively serving both the domestic market and export channels for barbecue and hookah charcoal. Market prices rose due to increased transport and labor costs, with demand exhibiting a seasonal peak during the month of Ramadan.

The underlying production process for wood charcoal in Syria continued to rely on the traditional burning of oak and olive wood, which presents ongoing environmental and occupational health challenges for workers due to smoke exposure. No major legislative or regulatory changes specifically targeting the wood charcoal market were reported throughout the 2018–2024 period.

Production wood charcoal in Syria

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of wood charcoal, 2017-2020

World map of production of wood charcoal, 2017-2020

In 2020, Syria produced 2 700 tonnes of wood charcoal, showing broad stability compared to 2019. The largest decline was recorded in 2018 at 0.0%, while the largest increase also occurred in 2018 at 0.0%.

Annual dynamics of production in Syria in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports wood charcoal from Syria

Exports in kind, t

The market exhibited volatility during the observed period. Exports reached their lowest point in 2020 at 11.2 tonnes, which represents a 94.6% decrease from the previous year. In contrast, the highest exports were recorded in 2019 at 208.1 tonnes, marking a 556.7% increase. This resulted in a 19-fold gap between the two years.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Syria in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Turkey and Lebanon were the key partner countries for exports in kind, together accounting for 86.1% of total flows, with other partners making up the remainder.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Syria in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

Market performance showed noticeable fluctuations over the period. Exports hit a low in 2020, with wood charcoal shipments from Syria totaling 7.9 thousand US dollars, down 84.8% from the previous year. The peak was in 2019 at 51.7 thousand US dollars, reflecting a 190.3% increase. This variation represented a 6.6-fold difference.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Syria in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

During 2017–2020, the principal destinations for exports in value terms were Turkey (39.0% of exports), Lebanon (31.6% of exports), and the Netherlands (21.5% of exports), jointly representing 92.1% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Syria in value, 2017-2020

Imports wood charcoal to Syria

Imports in kind, t

After a two-year rise, Syria's volume of wood charcoal imports declined. In 2020, imports amounted to 829.9 tonnes, a 6.3% decrease from 2019. The maximum value was recorded in 2019 at 885.8 tonnes, with the largest increase that year at 61.3%. Over the 2017-2020 period, imports grew by 98.3%, equating to a compound annual growth rate of 25.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Syria in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Turkey dominated imports in kind, accounting for 80.1% of the total, while the remaining flows were spread across a broad group of smaller countries.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Syria in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Syria imported 490.2 thousand US dollars worth of wood charcoal, marking a sharp increase of 64.4% compared to the previous year. The minimum value was recorded in 2019 at 298.2 thousand US dollars, with the largest decline that year at 24.6%. Between 2017 and 2020, imports rose by 49.8%, translating to an annualized rate of 14.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Syria in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

During 2017–2020, imports in value terms of wood charcoal to Syria were primarily oriented towards Turkey and China, whose combined share reached 80.7% of total flows, with other destinations playing a secondary role.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Syria in value, 2017-2020