By Cynthia Johnston

CAIRO, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The number of Iraqi refugees in Syria who rely on the United Nation's food agency for basic sustenance will surge to 114,000 by April, the World Food Programme's executive director said on Saturday.

Josette Sheeran said the WFP was now feeding between 50,000 and 70,000 Iraqis each week out of more than 1.4 million estimated to have taken refuge in Syria.

"We expect to increase our work on the food side greatly. So by April, we expect to be reaching probably about 114,000 of the refugees," Sheeran told Reuters in an interview in the Egyptian capital. "In the next few years, depending on how the situation goes, that might even double."

Sectarian fighting and other violence that followed the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq forced more than 4 million people to leave their homes. Jordan introduced laws barring Iraqis from entering years ago, leaving Syria as the main escape route.

But Syria, struggling with an inflow of people equal to some 10 percent of its population, tightened entry rules for Iraqis in October in a move that has hit refugees, separating families and trapping thousands amid violence and upheaval.

Visa restrictions also mean Iraqi refugees have been unable to travel between the two countries to make money or collect food or pensions, U.N. refugee agency said.

Sheeran said the WFP was providing basic needs like grains and lentils to the poorest and its target group was recent refugees who needed help coping with a new situation.

"Some are separated from their livelihoods and don't have access to either the cash or the community help to be able to meet their basic needs," she said.

"Ideally they will be able to return to their homes and their connection to their livelihoods and this will be more of a short-term problem rather than a long-term problem."

The UNHCR said last month about 1,500 Iraqi refugees were returning home daily from Syria, versus 500 new arrivals. Sheeran said the number needing aid was growing.

"We currently feel we have an accurate number of those who need to be reached. But again, we feel this number is increasing," she said.

Iraq officials say improving security there has also helped draw people back and the government has offered incentives of $700-$800, as well as free bus and plane rides.

But the UNHCR has said it was too soon to encourage Iraqis to return and a large scale repatriation programme would only be possible when proper conditions, including legal and material support and better security, have been met.

Syrians remain largely sympathetic to the plight of refugees, but limited economic opportunities and double digit inflation have caused some resentment toward newcomers. (Writing by Cynthia Johnston; Editing by Michael Winfrey)

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