The General Manager of Homs Sugar Company, Engineer Saleh al-Saleh, informed Athr Press that the sugar factory ceased production in 2019 due to a shortage of raw materials. He explained that despite the continuous announcements for the purchase of 25 thousand tons of raw sugar through the Foreign Trade Corporation, no offers have been received, attributing this to challenging economic conditions and the existing blockade.
Additionally, he highlighted that there is an announcement for outsourcing operations to produce 25 thousand tons of raw sugar for other entities.
The yeast plant also stopped operations
Saleh further mentioned that the yeast plant has been inactive since last November, following the completion of the production of the entire quantity in the company. He highlighted that the plant had produced 1945 tons of soft yeast until the previous month, which were distributed to the governorates of Homs, Tartous, and Latakia. Saleh emphasized that the plant is currently awaiting the procurement of raw materials to resume operations through the General Sugar Corporation. He also noted that the ongoing downtime is being utilized for maintenance purposes.
Alcohol lab on-demand
Regarding the alcohol plant, Saleh highlighted that the plant’s operation is closely tied to the demand for the substance. Up until November, the production included 945 tons of white alcohol, 54 tons of industrial alcohol, and 93 tons of carbon gas. He clarified that the plant’s output is sold to both the public and private sectors, including licensed entities such as pharmaceutical laboratories and hospitals.
The oil and soap factory is off
Saleh further pointed out that the oil and soap factory is inactive following the fulfillment of manufacturing the entire quantity of cotton seeds supplied by the General Organization for Ginning and Marketing of Cotton, totalling 992 tons. He mentioned that the production figures until November included 59.7 tons of cotton oil and 103 tons of soap.
What about the company’s investment position?
Regarding the potential for investing in the Homs Sugar Company to enhance its current state, its manager clarified that such consideration is not currently under discussion. He explained that despite intermittent halts in production, the company remains profitable, with a cumulative profit of one billion and 200 million Syrian pounds to date. He emphasized that the only announcement made was for outsourcing the operations of the sugar factory and the oil plant to prevent production halts in these two facilities.
It is worth noting that the Homs Sugar Company, established in 1946, comprises four factories specializing in sugar, alcohol, yeast, and oil and soap production.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
