In parallel with the preparations for launching the "Food Syria" exhibition this July, the Damascus and Countryside Chamber of Industry has put things in perspective regarding pressing economic issues. The meeting of the heads of the food subcommittees approved a plan to support the participation of small companies, while simultaneously demanding reciprocal treatment for foreign products regarding standards and specifications, as well as a reduction in social insurance fees for workers.The meeting was chaired by Mr. Osama Al-Nan, a member of the Chamber's Board of Directors and Head of the Food Sector, in the presence of Mr. Abdullah Al-Zayed, Secretary of the Chamber, and Mr. Raeif Al-Sbeai, a member of the Chamber's Bureau and Vice President of the Food Sector.At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Abdullah Al-Zayed announced the allocation of a special pavilion for the Damascus and Countryside Chamber of Industry within the "Food Syria" exhibition, which is scheduled to take place at the Fairgrounds from July 26 to 28, 2026. Al-Zayed indicated that display platforms within this pavilion will be distributed to support industrial companies.In an encouraging gesture, it was agreed with the heads of the committees to nominate third- or fourth-tier companies to participate in the exhibition. These companies will only bear the cost of decoration, aiming to ease their financial burdens and help them promote their products.The attendees emphasized the importance of elevating local food exhibitions, proposing the organization of one or two large specialized exhibitions annually that receive extensive media coverage and extend external invitations to businesspeople and visitors. The heads of the committees stressed the need to unify Syrian exhibitions under a single organizational umbrella to enhance their identity abroad, considering that the Chamber should be the primary supporter, while major industrial companies play their role in attracting international agents.In this regard, Al-Zayed explained that a subsequent meeting will be held including the Exhibitions Committee and the heads of the food committees to crystallize ideas and proposals before presenting them to decision-makers, followed by coordination with the Director of the General Establishment for Exhibitions and International Markets to establish implementation mechanisms.The attendees raised the file of juice and beverage manufacturers, demanding an increase in customs duties on competing imports for specific items to address the current market imbalance and restore competitiveness to the local product. They called for a collective meeting for juice factories to frame these demands.In a related context, the participants called for an urgent meeting of meat and mortadella manufacturers with the directors of the Syrian Arab Organization for Standardization and Metrology, and the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, to regulate standard specifications for meat and prevent violations. Regarding this matter, Mr. Osama Al-Nan revealed his communication with Mr. Yasser Aliwi, Director of the Standardization Authority, who confirmed that the principle of reciprocity will be applied, ensuring that imported foreign products are subject to the same criteria and specifications as the local product.The heads of the committees demanded a follow-up on the social insurance file and a reduction in the contribution percentage on workers' salaries to enable factories to legally register their entire workforce. For his part, Mr. Raeif Al-Sbeai confirmed that the Chamber is actively pursuing this file through periodic meetings with the relevant ministry to respond to this legitimate demand.The attendees also stressed the necessity of establishing an internationally accredited laboratory in Syria, similar to neighboring countries, to ensure the accuracy and credibility of laboratory analyses for products before their export, thereby facilitating the
8/7/2026
