Apple farmers protest shrinking compensation

Last Thursday turned into a long day of dissent by apple growers after they queued for long hours to receive their compensation cheques at the designated Internal Security Forces offices (in Akkar, 2 centers and Kesrouan and Matn areas, 1 center each) only to be disappointed that the sums released by the Higher Relief Council (HRC) were not consistent with the size of their supplies. To recall, the government had pledged to compensate LBP 5000 for each apple carton, but the amount was cut by 25%, thus settling the compensated carton at LBP 3,750, which will be paid in 2 equal installments. As such, apple growers received between LBP 1000 and 600 instead of LBP 1800 per box. According to the final report by the Lebanese Army assessment committee, apple cartons totaled 10 million and 600 thousand supplied by some 23,000 farmers, while noting that the government initially allocated LBP 40 billion, which required cutting the compensated amount per carton. In this respect, the Lebanese Farmers Association president, Antoine Howayek, explained the motives behind the above protests which he said are twofold. First, the cheques were transferred through the ISF instead of the municipalities, where each ISF center had to receive close to 3000 apple growers in one day with all the humiliation involved on the part of farmers, and second, the reduced sums frustrated recipient farmers. Howayek uncovered that HRC director, General Mohamad Kheir, had refused to hand over the above report to ensure the validity of the amounts, calling on the judiciary to intervene in this issue, accusing the HRC of having no supervisory authority to control its work. For his part, Kheir denied the accusations against HRC’s lack of transparency, confirming that the sums have been disbursed in line with the Army’s surveys, and urging protestors to inquire with Ain Remmaneh Army station. Kheir made clear that farmers will receive the second installment in one month time. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, Al Akhbar, May 6, 8, 9, 2017)
 

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