IDAL launches national food export support program

During a joint press conference with the Syndicate of Owners of Food Industries, the head of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL), Nabil Itani, announced on Tuesday the company’s new program in support of the food industry sector. Itani stressed that despite an overall slackness in industrial exports, food exports have posted record high rates, representing nearly 21% of the total exports during 2016. The new program, according to Itani, aims to, first, increase the size of food industry exports and enhance their competitive capacity through access to new markets, second, increase the size of exports to traditional markets, namely the Arab states, and third, consolidate trade relations in light of effective agreements signed with foreign countries. The program also seeks to introduce innovative features besides supporting exhibitions in the industry, such as provision of essential studies for potential markets and organizing workshops to this effect, building a network of trade relations with world importers and inspiring Lebanese producers to get international quality certifications. Itani finally disclosed a decision by the government in which it approved IDAL’s proposal to sponsor three global expos that see the participation of food industries this year, and they are, Gulf Food in Dubai, Fancy Food Show in New York in June and Anuga 2017 in Germany. (Al Hayat, Al Diyar, March 29 and 30, 2017)