Aug 16, 2010 (BBC Monitoring via COMTEX) -- Damascus, SANA - The cotton crop in Syria is in good condition despite the wave of heat striking Syria, Director of Administration of Cotton Research at the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Nayef Al-Salti said. In a statement to SANA on Sunday, Salti added that the cotton planted before May 10 is not likely effected by the heat wave that hits the country for some time, noting that choosing proper types of cotton suitable for each region's climate and soil contributes to easing the negative effects of the big rise in temperature.

He mentioned that crops planted late after May 10 have been affected more by high temperature as it is still in a phase of flowering which may affect its productivity. Salti said the Directorates of Agriculture in the governorates formed committees to monitor the cotton fields and provide guidance and instructions to farmers on how to act in case of temperature increase to reduce to damage that could affect the harvest.

He stressed the importance of abiding by the set time for planting cotton, noting that all plant diseases and weeds that could hit the cotton crop were fought. Syria occupied the second place on the international level in cotton production as regards area unit while it occupied the third place in organic cotton production in Asia after China and Turkey.

It enjoyed the rank of colourful cotton producing countries such as China,Turkey,Pakistan and the United States of America. The amount of cotton production in Syria reached about 600,000 tons in 2009 and the rate of the execution of the plans reached 96 per cent which means that it increased 8 per cent in comparison with last year in spite of that there was a decision not to produce an amount more than what the plans state.