News updates

The Industry Minister Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan noted that the Arab World needs to promote and empower the capacities of Arab women in general, and those of the Lebanese women in particular, at all levels, with a special focus on the economic part. He said women should be motivated to take initiatives and set up their own enterprises that enable them to “contribute to alleviating unemployment, poverty and illiteracy, while at the same time raising the standards of living for their own households, mainly in rural areas.” Haj Hassan was speaking during a conference organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Italy, in collaboration with the Italian  Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Organization for International Cooperation (OIC) and the No Peace Without Justice Organization (NPWJ) on the empowerment of the economic role of women in the MENA region. Dr. Haj Hassan also underlined the urge to inspire small and medium enterprises that help in the development of women. “Training and exchange of expertise and technology with UNIDO and OIC are of utmost significance and should be expanded along with the communication networks between women entrepreneurs in our region and their peers in Italy and Europe in general ,” the minister said. “We should understand that the genuine development of women cannot be separated from the overall economy of nations, societies as well as from the local, regional and international economic policies,” Dr. Haj Hassan noted. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, October 16, 2015)

 

The chief of the Federation of Deir Al Ahmar Municipalities, Milad Akouri, signed last Friday a memo of understanding with director of the EU Technical Team to start the implementation of a planned strategy for local development in the towns and villages under the Federation. Akouri said he hoped the memo could induce more cooperative action and therefore more significant undertakings that are vital for the area, like for example, rehabilitation of the infrastructure, construction of a solid waste treatment plant, water projects and other initiatives to improve the local community’s standards of living and boost the people’s steadfastness to the land. The EU representative for his part pointed out that the memorandum aims at helping the Federation of Municipalities in Deir Al Ahmar identify the most needed development ventures through the extension of expertise which would increase the chances of required funding. (Al Mustaqbal, October 10, 2015)

 

The Chuf area inhabitants are presently busy with preparation of tomato paste as an indispensable item of the traditional winter ‘mooneh’ in the mountainous region. Speaking to Al Mustaqbal newspaper, Abu Majdi Zeiniddine from the Upper Chuf area, boasted saying, “we have got the hang of making tomato paste the traditional style, because it has a natural, appetizing and free of additives taste that cannot be found anywhere in canned stuff.” He went on to say that going back to nature and to the old eating habits has become a need in the wake of the scandalous food industry corruption. Umm Majdi indicated for her part that the making of tomato paste often creates an opportunity for cooperative work and civility among neighbors. (Al Mustaqbal, October 12, 2015)

 

In a feature highlighting the gloomy conditions of olive growers in the southern border areas, As Safir daily reported that olive production barely reached one third of the overall rate of the regional produce estimated at 800 thousand dunums. One farmer, Abu Ahmad Kaderi, told the newspaper that old olive trees in the groves of Wadi Khansa, Kfarshuba that used to provide a good season were now barren and unproductive for the third consecutive year. Jamal Taha, for his part, grieved that his orchard which once yielded over 100 dunums of olives, nowadays hardly bears 20-25 dunums. Likewise, Abu Mohamad Halabi, said this year’s harvest only covers the local demand and the farmer’s household needs of olives and olive oil, urging intervention of concerned authorities. In this respect, the head of the Agricultural Cooperative Association in Hasbaya Rashid Zuwaihid, expressed relief about the acceptable rise in the prices of olive oil this year. He said that for the first time in many years, one super virgin olive oil cistern is being sold at about 150 US dollars, while one kilogram of olives has reached 10 thousand Lebanese pounds, hoping this rise would compensate for the accumulative losses over the years. (As Safir, October 10, 2015)

 

The Head of the Lebanese Shipping Agents Syndicate Hassan Jarudi revealed that some 400 trucks loaded with some 6 thousand tons of products have registered to benefit from the government’s plan to subsidize agricultural sea exports. He pointed out that 90% of funds allocated for that purpose has remained unused while the agricultural season is about to close, blaming that on the delay in implementing the above support mechanism. “The Port of Tripoli is the only harbor well-equipped to accommodate this need, as Beirut Port is already congested,” Jarudi said, pointing to a fall by 10% in global shipping activity due to economic recession on the one hand, and to the slow growth of the Chinese economy on the other, which resulted in the fall of the global cost of maritime shipping. On a related note, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Zahleh and Beqaa, Yussef Jiha, estimated the decline in Lebanese industrial exports at 7%, (equivalent to USD1.77 billion) until the end of last July. Regarding exports from the Beqaa which are mostly foodstuffs, such as dairy products, Jiha indicated a drop of 21% (i.e. by USD 65 million). (L’Orient Le Jour, Al Mustaqbal, October 4, 5, 2015)

 

Al Mustaqbal daily reported in a feature published this week the 15-year old successful practice of chestnut cultivation in the town of Tarshish, Upper Matn area, noting that this success can be traced to various reasons, chiefly the immunity of the fruit against diseases and its adaptability to climate changes. The newspaper went on to add that chestnut cultivation does not require any pesticides or fertilizers, and that when the tree becomes mature (between mid September and end of October) it simply tosses its fruits making it easy for farmers to collect and pack, thus saving them the toil and cost involved in the harvest activity. To elaborate on the subject, Al Mustaqbal interviewed Tarshish mayor and head of the of Agricultural Cooperatives Gathering in Lebanon, Gaby Samaan, who maintained that his town’s production of chestnuts has reached 100 tons last year, while the country consumes nearly 6500 tons each year. Samaan disclosed that there are about 6 thousand chestnut trees in Tarshish alone, pointing that in the nest few years, most of the mountain villages will become chestnut producers. He noted that proceeds from this cultivation provide growers with the income they need to face economic challenges, adding that this agri-business has expanded on a large scale to cover, besides the Upper Matn, Aley Jord, Rashaya, Hasbaya, Jezzine, Beskinta, and the North and South areas, according to a survey by the Agricultural Cooperative Association in Tarshish. (Al Mustaqbal, October 6, 2015)

 

In its ongoing follow-up on the mooneh preparation with the start of the fall season, As Safir daily pointed out that the annual activity coincides with the start of the school year bringing about an additional burden on households, especially with the soaring prices of basic ingredients used, like burghul, kishk, zaatar (thyme) and Jews’ mallow. The newspaper noted that this household tradition is indispensable for southern women who insist on making cost effective and preservative and additive free foodstuffs, while at the same time saving some cash for the harsh winter months. Some of the common home-made delicacies are dried veggies, pickles, goat labneh, pomegranate molasses, jams and distilled beverages. “The southern mooneh is part of the cherished Lebanese heritage which southern people are keen on preserving,” As Safir concluded. )Also refer to yesterdays news: http://bit.ly/1OXIwiL). (As Safir, October 7, 2015)

 

The Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb reportedly advised his ministry departments to go head for the distribution of some 320 thousand “Abifar” pesticide samples on beekeepers across Lebanon, Al Akhbar daily quoted informed sources as saying. It is to be noted that the pest control drug was banned 4 years ago by Industry Minister Dr. Haj Hassan upon a recommendation by Lebanon Audit Bureau for containing the toxic Amitraz solution that endangers the health of honey consumers. Meanwhile, Zuheir Berro, Consumer Protection Lebanon head, cautioned against the use of such pesticides maintaining that the scientific facts about Amitraz prove its danger both to bees and to humans due to the toxic chemical residues. http://bit.ly/1EX4zTG. Similarly, university professor Abdallah Trabulsi described the substance as poisonous and cancerogenic, however, he pointed out to certain internationally and locally acceptable concentration rates for using the pesticides. Shehayeb has categorically rejected in a press conference held two days ago these opinions. (Al Akhbar, October 7, 2015)