Cotton
Cotton has long been an important product in Syria, and continues to hold an important position in the nation's economy today. During the middle of the twentieth century, cotton brought in more money than any other exported product. Although petroleum surpassed cotton in earnings during the 1970s, cotton is still one of the main cash crops and largest employing sector of industry in Syria. Syria also plays a significant role in the international production of cotton. The nation produces roughly 7 percent of the world's total cotton.
Cotton is generally grown in the northern regions of Syria. Almost all cotton crops are planted on irrigated land. As such, water is a significant necessity in the cotton industry. on average, the nation uses over 4 million cubic meters of water a year on the cultivation of cotton. The high amounts of water needed to create productive crops in this region have spurred controversy due to the negative environmental impacts such overuse creates.
Following cultivation, a number of seasonal workers are employed in the harvesting of cotton. The harvested product is referred to as "raw cotton." Raw cotton is subsequently purchased, typically by public establishments, which then gin the raw cotton in publicly owned plants. Currently, there are 16 major ginning plants in Syria.
Once cotton ginning has been completed, the public plants spin the cotton and turn it into cotton yarn, which then can be woven and dyed before creating cotton fabric. Several public plants dye the cotton and create cotton fabrics, but others contract with private companies which purchase cotton yarn from public plants and use it to produce cotton fabric. Private companies can only purchase cotton from public plants or directly from local farmers, because all cotton imports are banned in order to protect Syria's cotton industry.
