Syria's Mhardeh cotton ginnery in Hama province resumed operations on Sept. 30 after a four-year suspension, processing roughly 12 tons of raw cotton per shift sourced from eastern provinces, state news agency SANA reported.

The restart anchors a wider push to rebuild the cotton processing chain. The Agriculture Ministry estimates the 2026/27 season at 79,467.3 tons, up from 69,587 tons the prior season. The Al-Assi ginnery in Hama and the Tishreen ginnery in Aleppo are also running, while the Al-Fida ginnery in Hama remains out of service.

What capacity is back online?

Mhardeh can add a second shift once throughput volumes justify it. Syria has six approved local cotton varieties developed by the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, bred for early maturity, heat and water-stress tolerance, and pest and disease resistance.

Why is cultivation still constrained?

Field output is running well below stated targets, according to figures published by SANA. In the Ghab area of western Hama, farmers planted 44,000 square meters of cotton this season against a planned 4.5 million square meters, with output expected at about 12 tons.

Deir Ezzor has seen a sharp decline. Last season's 23 million square meters yielded roughly 4,500 tons. Cotton picking started in September in northern rural Raqqa, where growers are pressing for a procurement price that covers rising input costs for seeds, fertilizers, fuel, labor and irrigation. Officials had not announced a cotton purchase price as of Sept. 18.

What does the KDC agreement cover?

On March 4 the Ministry of Economy and Industry signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Design Company (KDC) covering:

• Technical, economic, regulatory and environmental studies of state-owned ginneries, spinning facilities and weaving plants
• Modernization plans for cultivation, irrigation, harvesting, processing and marketing
• Training for about 5,000 workers

Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr met a KDC delegation on March 8 to review plans for expanding cultivation, introducing modern irrigation systems, deploying mechanical harvesters and rolling out contract farming.

What is the government's 10-year industry plan?

Speaking at a textile industry event in July, Economy and Industry Minister Nidal Al-Shaar said the government "aims to make Syria a regional textile hub over the next 10 years through public-private partnerships and an integrated textile production chain."

Deputy Economy and Industry Minister Basel Abdel Hanan said "the sector needs gradual, integrated policies connecting agricultural production with industrial processing, with a focus on the eastern region and greater private-sector investment."

What sourcing decision does this force?

For buyers screening Syrian-origin cotton and yarn, the operative risk is now upstream supply, not policy intent. Three of the four tracked Hama and Aleppo ginneries are processing again, but planted area in Ghab is running below 1% of plan and no official procurement price exists for the current crop. Sourcing teams building MENA cotton into 2026 lines should track KDC MoU milestones and the next government purchase-price announcement before locking in long-tenor contracts.