Syria’s General Organization for Sugar, or GOFS, said its five refineries will produce 280,000 tons of sugar this year.

Almost half of the output, or 150,000 tons, will be produced from the refining of the sugar beet crop estimated at around 1.7 million tons, a record level. The balance 130,000 tons will be produced from imported sugar beet and sugar cane.

Syrians are among the largest per-capita consumers of sugar in the world and local annual demand is estimated at around 750,000 tons.

Until recently, GOFS had a monopoly over sugar refining in Syria with imports making up the balance supply in the market.

However, several years ago the Government allowed private investments in the sector and two sugar refineries, one by a joint-venture between a local investor, Najib Assaf, and US food giant Cargill – National Sugar Company - and another by Homs businessman Tarif Al-Akhras – Middle East Sugar Refinery - have started production.

Both companies have a combined capacity of 1.7 million tons of white sugar per year, well above GOFS’, and export to markets around the region, including Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.