Reminder of pressing agriculture-related files awaiting the new government

Critical agricultural issues, now the responsibility of the incumbent president, remain pending and await the formation of the new government (c.f. http://bit.ly/2fBGXNF ).  A recent review of the situation indicates that the export of apples during the first three quarters of 2016 has dropped by 35% and the value has dropped by 8 million USD compared to last year.  This has happened despite the promises of the Minister of Agriculture to secure new markets especially in Egypt, Jordan and Russia.  The delayed rainfall also had a negative impact on non-irrigated crops such as wheat, barley and peas in addition to perennial trees such as citrus trees and in addition to irrigated crops.  Citrus farmers in Akkar and in South Lebanon called on the state to ban foreign products from entering the Lebanese market and compete with their product and to mobilize law enforcement to that effect.  For their part, cow farmers in the Bekaa appealed to the new president to hear their endemic complaints especially that Lebanon has been suffering for the past two years from a drop in the price of milk.  On the other hand, IDAL organized a workshop on “the monitoring systems in packaging centres”.  During the event, IDAL’s president, Nabil Itani, emphasized the importance of this initiative which seeks to strengthen marketing and open new markets.  Itani added that Lebanese exports cannot complete in terms of quantities and thus they should compete in quality and hence the importance of adopting international standards. (An Nahar, Al Akhbar, Ad Dyar, Al Mustakbal, Daily Star – 29/30 November,  1,8,10,11,14 December 2016)