Aleppo-Sana
Today, at the Shahba Hotel, Aleppo celebrated the opening of the 58th edition of the Cotton Festival, honoring the first productive farmers and distinguished agricultural cooperative societies with the best production in terms of area and production cost-effectiveness, in addition to presenting theatrical performances and raising awareness for farmers on the optimal cultivation methods of cotton for the Arts Troupe of Agricultural Extension.
In his speech, the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Engineer Muhammad Hassan Qatana, pointed to the importance of the cotton crop, which constitutes a basic supporter of the national economy due to the foreign parts it provides resulting from export, noting the advanced rank that Syrian cotton has achieved in global markets and its fibers have entered into competition with similar international cottons due to Because of the special technological specifications that it enjoys and the multiplicity of its varieties that were devised by the efforts of Syrian agricultural researchers in the Agricultural Scientific Research Authority and the Cotton Office over a period of forty years.
Qatana explained that the Ministry of Agriculture has developed an integrated strategy to develop the cultivation of the cotton crop by encouraging farmers to grow the crop and adopting a number of programs and projects within the recommendations of the Agricultural Sector Forum, which included the development of early-maturing varieties that bear water stresses and the production of organic cotton, pointing out that this year witnessed the cultivation of an area of 39 thousand hectares to produce 90 thousand tons of cotton.
The Governor of Aleppo, Hussein Diab, head of the Supreme Committee of the Cotton Festival, explained that the crop used to secure between 20 and 30 percent of agricultural exports, and about 20 percent of the population depend on it for their livelihood through production, marketing and manufacturing, pointing out that the festival constitutes a popular social and economic event that comes annually from Continuous interest in the white gold crop.
Moataz Hamadeen Al-Ibrahim, head of the Syndicate of Agricultural Engineers in Aleppo, drew attention to the continuous work and cooperation between agricultural engineers and farmers in the lands to increase and improve production by optimally investing every inch of land and every drop of water and applying the results and recommendations of agricultural scientific research to reduce costs, preserve natural resources from waste and achieve food security. and contribute to increasing the national income.
Abdo Hussein Al-Ali, head of the Farmers Union branch in Aleppo, called for improving performance and continuing cooperation and cohesion between farmers, agricultural engineers and research stations to increase production of the cotton crop and the approved varieties in a way that contributes to the promotion of this strategic crop, noting that honoring the first winning farmers at the level of Syria and the agricultural associations constitutes an incentive for them. To expand agriculture and restore luster to the white gold crop.
In a statement to reporters, Minister of Industry Ziad Sabbagh said that today's celebration of the 58th Cotton Festival is evidence of the government's interest in this strategic crop and the continued support for it, as it contributes to operating production chains starting from agriculture and ending with industry, in addition to providing raw materials and production inputs to the two most important economic institutions in the Ministry. The industry, namely the Cotton Corporation and the General Corporation for Textile Industries, praised the quality of the Syrian cotton crop and its global reputation, which is comparable to the world's cotton, and wished for the return of brilliance to this crop as it was before.
Dr. Ahmed Jumaa, Director of the Cotton Office, pointed to the distinguished position that cotton occupied in Syrian agriculture, both economically and socially, as it provides the raw and primary material for spinning, weaving and oil companies and a high income for farmers and farmers during the various agricultural, marketing and industrial stages, indicating that the festival includes honoring 6 agricultural associations and 7 early productive and distinguished individuals. in the cultivation of this crop.
The farmer Aboud Jadaan Al-Sulaiman from the Hawaji Diab Shamiya Association in Deir Ezzor Governorate, the first winner in Syria from the agricultural associations indicated that he planted this year an area of 18 dunums and adhered to the instructions of the agricultural engineers in terms of seed, watering, weeding and fertilization, and his production reached 530 kg per dunum.
On the individual level, the farmer Hassan Ragheb Al-Sulaiman from Deir ez-Zor said that he planted this year an area of 40 dunums with the cotton crop and achieved a production of more than 510 kg per dunum, and he is continuing to plant this important crop.
The festival was attended by the Governor of Hama, Muhammad Tariq Krishati, the Secretary of the Aleppo Branch of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, Ahmed Mansour, the President of the Peasants’ Union, Muhammad Salih al-Ibrahim, the Syndicate of Agricultural Engineers, Dr. Rama Aziz, and the President of the Union of Agricultural Chambers, Engineer Muhammad Kishto, and a number of those interested in agricultural affairs.
Qusai Razzouk
