COTTON SEED PROCESSING

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The Project aims at rationalizing Syria's state-owned oilseed processing industry by improving the technical efficiency of existing plants and increasing total processing capacity. A factory with a daily capacity to process 300 m tons of cotton seed equivalent would be constructed and equipped at Deir ez Zor; two existing factories in Aleppo would be modernized by the provision of solvent extraction process equipment and a third factory modified; and technical assistance for engineering and design, supervision of construction, test runs and initial operation, training Syrian technicians and a study of the vegetable oil subsector would be provided. At full development vegetable oil processing efficiency and capacity would be increased resulting in an annual gross incremental value of $5.6 million. The financial benefits would accrue to the Government; the incremental oil production would benefit Syrian consumers who would be able to purchase larger quantities of vegetable oil, while increased by-products would benefit some 500,000 livestock farmers by providing a relatively inexpensive supply of feed for the dry season. A failure to increase the availability of oilseeds is the principal risk faced. Technical risks are negligible since processes are tested and proven.