Damascus - Syria produced about 988,635 tons of phosphate during the first quarter of 2011, compared to the planned amount estimated at 809,800 tons. The General Company for Phosphate and Mines has carried out its production plan with an execution rate of 122 percent.
The sales of the Company hit 882,724 tons of phosphate with a value of SYP 3 billion (1 USD = 47 SYP).
The Syrian phosphate is considered a significant mineral resource that yields considerable financial revenues which in turn support the national economy and the state treasury with foreign currency through exports of raw and washed phosphate, in addition to investing the remaining amount locally in manufacturing detergents and fertilizers.
Last October, Syria and India signed a memo of understanding on developing the sector of phosphate and fertilizers to produce phosphoric acid, and various types of phosphate fertilizers to meet the needs of the Syrian and Indian markets.
Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has evaluated Syria's production of phosphate at 4 million tons annually, of which about 600,000 tons are used in manufacturing fertilizers while the rest is exported to several countries.