Sulphur 422 Jan-Feb 2026
29 January 2026
Syria restarts Sharqiya phosphate washing and drying plant
Syria restarted a phosphate production site in Homs province after a decade-long shutdown, according to local media reports 25 November. The washing and drying facility is part of Syria’s Al-Sharqiya mine. The Syrian government has indicated that it plans to increase its presence in global phosphates market as part of efforts to support the country’s economy.
“I am pleased to announce today the Phosphate Wash and Drying Lab has reopened after a ten year hiatus,” Syria’s energy minister Mohammed al-Bashir said on his Facebook account. “This achievement comes to constitute a strategic step in boosting and improving phosphate production, opening up broad horizons for global markets and strengthening the status of the national economy.”
The ousting of Bashar Al-Assad’s government in December 2024 brought an end to Syria’s 13-year long civil war but also renewed risks to the country’s phosphate rock industry. Exports have slumped in 2025, stalling a recovery in output seen during the 2020s. Syrian exports decreased by almost 80% in 2025 H1 as the new government struggles to increase output. Although more limited Syrian supply may pose challenges to some key buyers, global phosphate rock export availability has improved since 2023.
