Planting Falls By Half
Cotton planting in Syria's Deir ez-Zor governorate has dropped sharply this season, with about 10,000 dunums sown against a planned 84,636 dunums. Officials put the decline at 50 to 60 percent compared with the previous year.
The season is underway in October 2026, yet most of the planned area remains unplanted as growers weigh whether the crop is still worth the expense.
Where the Land Went Idle
The shortfall spans the governorate's main districts. In Deir ez-Zor district, 1,900 dunums were planted out of 38,190 planned; in Al-Mayadin, 6,110 of 14,446; and in Al-Bukamal, 2,000 of 32,000.
The cooperative sector, supervised by the Farmers' Union, accounts for roughly 80 percent of the governorate's cotton area, leaving the retreat concentrated among organized growers.
Costs Outrun Prices
Cotton requires about ten irrigations each season, and farmers report that fuel and labor costs have climbed beyond what the crop returns. No official per-kilogram purchase price has yet been announced, deepening the uncertainty before harvest.
Agricultural officials tie the retreat to a lack of support and to production costs that no longer match purchase prices, a mismatch that has pushed growers to question whether planting is worthwhile.
In the town of Murat, planted land fell from 550 dunums last year to just 20 this season, a near-total withdrawal in that area.
Farmers Seek Support
Growers are asking for subsidized fuel, free or subsidized seeds and fertilizer, electricity support, and a higher purchase price. Some also want diesel irrigation pumps replaced with solar-powered units to cut running costs.
Several warned they would abandon cotton altogether if conditions do not improve, a shift that would hollow out a crop long tied to the region's rural economy.
Measured Against Last Year
In 2025, the governorate produced about 4,500 tonnes of cotton from roughly 2,300 hectares, with the harvest typically beginning in late September. This season's collapse in planted area points to a far smaller yield ahead.