Initially, our main activity was to import and distribute in the local private market the major foodstuffs such as dairy products, cereals, sugar, tea, coffee and raw materials. In 1980, the prohibition of importation faced by the private sector in Syria obliged us to deal with the public sector by participating in their international tenders for the range of products of our main activity especially the rice, the sugar and the wheat and, at the same time, we diversified above activity while participating indirectly in many of the turnkey projects tenders as exclusive agent of the companies or consortiums that we organized especially for these tenders. In 1985 and due to lack of foreign currencies in Syria, we succeed by personal efforts, to realize in the first time of the history of Syria two private Protocols of barter deal between the Ministry of Planning in Syria and two European companies. In addition, we managed and executed many barter transactions, among them some ones to recover debts due by Syria to worldwide pharmaceutical manufactures and others for specific purpose such as the case of a contract with Aleppo railways for the supply of wagons to General Company for Phosphate and Mines which we executed against Syrian Rock Phosphate. On the other hand, we has been also involved in the Syrian crude oil business where we granted to ARCADIA PETROLEUM LIMITED - UK a long term contract to lift Syrian light crude oil that has been revolving for many years.
