News updates

Following the closure of vital land routes via Syria and the actual transfer of the LBP 21 billion to the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) to subsidize the export by sea of domestic industrial and agricultural goods, IDAL chief announced last Wednesday the formal launching of the Exports Maritime Bridge Program calling on producers to register in the program.  Nabil Itani noted the departure last August 6th of the first container vessel carrying 53 trucks from the northern Port of Tripoli and destined towards the port of Duba in Saudi Arabia, adding that he expected nearly 150 thousand tons of products to transit via this new sea route in a period of seven months. Furthermore, Itani pointed out that government financial support will focus exclusively on the two export lines stretching from Lebanon to Duba, KSA or to Aqaba, Jordan, saying there will be no retroactive compensation for shipments sent earlier via RORO carriers from Tripoli Port. Exporters wishing to benefit from the programme can submit their applications directly to the state-run agency or via the website, investinlebanon.gov.lb. (As Safir, An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, September, 19 and 23, 2015)

 

The Industry Minister Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan who is on an official visit to Catalonia met yesterday his Catalonian counterpart and discussed with him prospects of economic, industrial and agricultural cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. Both sides also conferred ways of developing the industry sector by accessing European standards and specifications and the need to implement them. They also agreed to promote the exchange of goods between the two countries through encouraging Lebanese and Catalonian entrepreneurs from both sexes to launch joint investment undertakings.

Minister Haj Hassan emphasised after the meeting that the purpose of his visit was to explore Catalonian expertise in the field of food processing, particularly in the meat industry, while exploring the opportunities of developing the slaughterhouse sector in Lebanon. He also noted the responsibility of his ministry in this domain together with the ministries of agriculture and health. (As Safir, September 22, 2015)

 

The food safety campaign recently launched by the Health Minister Wael Abou Faoor which revealed the deteriorating conditions of the food sector in Lebanon, had a positive impact on the traditional (baladi) mooneh market which saw an upsurge in demand, as reported by As Safir daily in its issue of last Saturday. The newspaper interviewed several women who work in the sector, like Umm Mazen who used part of her house to prepare and display her homemade foodstuffs, urged the government to support this cottage industry as part of maintaining food safety. For her part, Umm Adel Harfush confirmed the increase in demand on “baladi” products, boasting that “our villages and towns have attracted people coming from big cities, like Zahle in the Beqaa, Saida and Nabatiye in the South”, adding that she has now new customers from the capital Beirut, who seek the safe home made products such as milk and dairy products including labneh, cheeses, kishek, zaatar, dry figs and raisins, etc. For her part, Umm Adel praised the support that rural women are receiving from various associations and which take the form of training workshops, promotion and marketing of mooneh products, assistance in provision of needed expertise. However, she noted, the little interest of the authorities in supporting this productive industry which creates job opportunities and benefits the marginalized rural communities. (As Safir, September 19, 2015)

 

Rashayya closed its summer festivities with a wide recreational and eco-tourism day entitled “Rawwik bi Rashayya” organized by Rashaya Festivals Committee and the Union of Municipalities of Mount Hermon and Rashayya, in collaboration with other concerned organizations. In this respect, a craft fair was held at Beit Lahya town square showcasing all kinds of artifacts and traditional mooneh products, organic processed honey and a rural traditional banquet prepared by women from the towns and villages of Rashayya. Workshops were also held in cooperation with the artisans of Rashayya to save the area’s heritage, especially with the local silversmiths, pottery artists, crocheters and mouneh producers; a trek to Mount Hermon and activities for children were also planned. Special buses transported participants from Beirut and from various parts of the country to Rashayya free of charge. The President of the Union of Rashayya Municipalites, Issam Hadi, stressed the duty of the union to safeguard rural heritage which is gradually disappearing. In the same vein, Rashayya Al Fokhar municipality held its annual dinner at the municipal courtyard on the occasion of the Feast of the Cross. Mayor Salim Youssef maintained that such “gatherings strengthen friendships and relationships with our communities,” adding that hope and life are stronger than turmoil and difficulties. (Al Mustaqbal, September 21, 2015)

 

As part of its annual Badaro Open Streets event, the Badaro Merchants’ Association, in coordination with the Public Interest Design, organized during the weekend a big festival on its main street, which included an open fair for popular shops, restaurants and cafes in the neighborhood, in addition to an exhibition of traditional mooneh products and crafts run by Suk El Tayeb. The Association’s president George Brax noted that the purpose of the activity was to develop the area and strengthen relations between its residents and the touristic establishments as well as the economic, trade and social institutions operating there. The festival, Brax said, sends a clear message to local and foreign public opinions that the Lebanon is a “life loving nation” determined to fight to defend its economy and the spirit of coexistence. In this respect, Beirut Mayor, Bilal Hamad, praised efforts by Badaro merchants, and particularly expressed gratitude to Brax, whom he described as the “dynamo” for the development and revival of Badaro neighborhood.(Al Diyar, September 21, 2015)

 

Jihad Al Binaa Development Association- Bekaa, completed last Thursday in Baalbek a five-day training workshop for women environment extension workers in cooperation with Hezbollah women’s committees. The 16 women participants in the training were introduce to the following topics: sorting waste from the source; garbage recycling; rational use of energy and water; profile of Lebanon trees; home plants care; incidence of chemical substances in every day life and food safety. The workshop was concluded with field trips to a sewage treatment station located in Ei3at, to a biogas plant, an atmospheric and water generator facility and a solar electricity plant all located at Martyr Abbas Musawi Center in Duress. Closing the tour, Jamileh Mustafa, responsible for Hizbullah women’s committees in Beqaa underlined the important role of Jihad Al Binaa in environment and the duties of women activists in promoting eco-culture. (Al Diyar, September 20, 2015)

 

In its issue of last Monday, Al Mustaqbal newspaper said the sand storm which hit Lebanon lately has directly affected agricultural production in the country, particularly fruit trees and vegetables. Farmers in the plains of Akkar had their share of consecutive natural catastrophes during a period of one month, including the sudden torrential rain that hit the tobacco season, in addition to the sand storm that was harsh on production of apples, figs and grapes as well as of greenhouses that were overrun with sands.

In Shtawra, meanwhile, despite the subsiding of the storm which hit Beqaa two weeks ago, its direct and indirect impact has been heavy on the agricultural sector. The worse hit were figs, grapes, apples, peaches, and some varieties of pears and prunes, and vegetables, like cucumber, lettuce and tomato.

In this context, the chief of Union Vinicole Du Liban, Chateau Ksara CEO, Zafer Shawi, disclosed that the grape season has been severely affected by the unusual weather conditions throughout the year, including the unprecedented low temperatures and frost in winter, the hailstorm in spring and the latest extreme hot temperatures accompanied with dust. Shawi pointed out that some regions have lost nearly 60% of their grapevines produce this year. (Al Mustaqbal, L’Orient Le Jour, September 16, 2015)

 

The Industry Minister Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan announced yesterday during a joint press conference with his health counterpart, Wael Abu Faoor, the closure of all the water refining plants that failed to file for licenses, while giving those who filed the required papers until end of coming October to complete them. Meanwhile, regular inspection visits will continue to water stations that received the final authorization, and which in the case of violation of health standards, will be threatened with closure and will be held accountable for their faulty operations.

Abu Faoor, for his part, pointed out that the results of water testing have shown that the majority of over 800 water suppliers were not compliant with the standard specifications. He stressed that while the government is “unfortunately not capable of providing water to its citizens, it should not stop from alleviating the hazards endangering them,” as he put it.  “The illegal water refining plants pose great harm to the health of the Lebanese,” he noted, demanding that the security forces close all unlicensed factories. Some 600 institutions have considered themselves undeterred by the official decision and therefore shall be shut down, Abu Faoor noted. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, September 18, 2015)