7/1/2025–|Last updated: 1/7/202509:41 PM (Mecca time)
Damascus- Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil Al-Hassan said that most of the customs duties will witness a decline, perhaps reaching more than 50% or 60% in some of them, stressing that this will be reflected directly and positively on the prices of goods in the markets.
The minister added – in an interview with Al Jazeera Net to be published tomorrow, Wednesday – that they are in the final stages of a series of meetings held to review customs duties on various goods, whether in terms of import or export, and that customs duty amendments are expected to be issued within a day or two.
He stated that the new customs system relies mainly on protecting the local product, by placing duties on imported materials that are similar at home, so that competition between the local and imported products is limited to quality only, without competing with them in price.
He added, “We have set very low duties on exports of local products, to encourage industry and increase economic activity in the country.”
He stressed that the old customs duty system, which relied on invoices or a percentage of the value of the material, had been abolished, and instead the fixed fee was based on the weight or number, depending on the type of material.
Al-Hassan pointed out that customs duties during the era of the ousted regime were very high. For every item that enters from abroad, fees are added to it amounting to a minimum of 30% of the price of the item itself, and may reach 100%.
Between 20 and 28 types of fees with different names and forms were imposed on one article, “but we abolished all of these types.”
Regarding the availability of basic commodities, the Syrian Minister confirmed that basic materials are available and are sufficient for several months, and that most basic commodities are available for production locally, but their availability in the required quantities takes a little time, especially wheat.
He stated that Syria’s wheat production before 2011 was about 4 million tons, but this year it is only 700 thousand tons, while Idlib’s production alone is 100 thousand tons this year, stressing that the 2026 season will achieve the country’s self-sufficiency in wheat and in many… Of other materials.
