Addressing an investment seminar in Damascus, the Director General of the Syrian Investment Office, Mohammed Saraqbi, said that Syria manufactures 700,000 tons of citrus per annum.
According to Al-Raya newspaper, this output level exceeds the local rate of consumption, and thus, creates many potential investment opportunities for the manufacturing of citrus in Syria.
Similarly, Syria is now the 4th largest olive producer in the country, and thus, there are potential investment opportunities for squeezing, bottling, packaging and exporting olive oil abroad.
Saraqbi asserted that the Syrian government had decided to permit foreign firms to invest in phosphate extraction, since the country endows large quantities of phosphate.
The government also decided to let foreigners invest in the gas and oil sector, which will allow the flow of foreign capital into Syria. Furthermore, the Syrian authorities have allowed foreign investors to set up ships and large oil tanker building projects. ¯ (Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
