News updates

An Nahar newspaper published a report on wheat farming in Akkar where the farmers are now busy harvesting.  After that, their predicaments will begin in relation to the dates of delivering their harvest to the state (expected in forthcoming July) and low wheat prices which is the main challenge of the sector.
The report indicates that, 45 years ago, wheat planting was the most important culture in the Akkar valley and throughout the Akkar Mohafaza where wheat occupied 70% of planted areas.  Today, wheat planting hardly occupies 20% of that same area while Lebanon is forced to buy wheat to cover local demand.
According to the report, farmers in Akkar are demanding an increase in the price of wheat so as to take into consideration the increasing cost of seeds, medicines, irrigation and agricultural labor.  According to farmer Issam Makhoul, the unit cost of wheat should be increased from LBP 595 to LBP 750 per kilogram so as to recover the production cost.  He added that Akkar will produce this year around 1200 tons of wheat of different varieties only, against an average of 7000 tons during normal harvesting years.
Source: Al-Nahar 26 June 2014

L’Orient le Jour noted in its issue of last Saturday that the total agricultural exports in Lebanon recorded 638369 tons in 2013 of a USD 215.70 million value.  The result recorded in 2013 was 17% higher than that of the previous year. According to the summary report released by BLOM Bank, the agricultural sector witnessed a marked improvement while potentials for better performance have yet to be fulfilled.  Indeed, and despite Lebanon’s clear advantages namely its climate, soil composition and availability of water, the sector is still facing numerous challenges and particularly the recent spillovers of the continuing Syrian crisis.
But despite this, the report adds that the agricultural sector has been able to maintain its economic position during the period extending between 2004 and 2011 and its contribution to the economy amounted to 4.1% of the GDP in 2011, while other sectors’ contribution were higher, such as: commerce (16% of GDP), professional and financial services (7%) each. Furthermore, agricultural activity grew by 8.5% during the period extending between 2004 and 2011, while the GDP grew by 9.1% during the same period. The added value of the agricultural sector grew to USD 1.52 billion in 2011 from USD 792.70 million in 2004. According to the sources of the report, and despite the impact of the Syrian crisis on land transport, Lebanon nevertheless succeeded in taking advantage from that crisis by replacing other countries exporting agricultural products to the Syrian market.
On another level, Lebanon imported in 2013 some 1.9 million tons of agricultural products, valued at USD 922.79 million. Internal consumption reached USD 1.62 billion in the same year, thus Lebanon imported 4 times higher than it exported, resulting in a slight improvement in the continuing imbalance in food security (23.4% exports coverage of imports in 2013, against 19.7% in 2012).
The first destination of Lebanese agricultural exports remains the neighboring Arab countries, with Syria coming first and accounting for 18% of total export, followed by Jordan and KSA.  As for the type of exported products, potato accounted for 17% of the total exported goods, followed by flour (9%), re-exporting coffee (8%) and banana (8%).

Source: L’Orient le Jour 21 June 2014

UNRWA, the ILO and LPDC inaugurated yesterday the Centre for employment promotion and social protection which is funded by the European Union.  The event included showcasing material and outputs related to improving employment opportunities and social protection of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon in addition to studies, reports and policy briefs on challenges and recommendations based on statistics on the Palestinian labor force in Lebanon and its situation.

A documentary film by Philip Bijjali was also presented about a number of key information such as:  Palestinian labor force represents 42% of the total Palestinian refugee population living in Lebanon, which does not exceed 260 – 280 thousand people, according to the joint study conducted by AUB and UNRWA. Hence, the total Palestinian labor force amounts approximately to 75000 worker, which is around 5% of the total labor force in Lebanon (Lebanese and foreigners), and less than 15% of the total foreign labor force. The film also shed the light on the realities of these workers, indicating that only a low percentage of them have a contract, while only an insignificant percentage have heath insurance (5%), paid leaves or paid sick leaves, which is the case also for pension or end of service indemnities. The film also indicated that the average monthly salary for a Palestinian worker is LBP 537,000, which is below the official minimum wage, and represents 80% of the average monthly salary of a Lebanese worker. The event was concluded with recommendations namely lifting legal barriers so as to avoid situations of illegal work, correcting the injustice in NSSF contributions, and facilitating Palestinians’ access to syndicated professions.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Diyar 26 June 2014

Dar al Amal organized yesterday a graduation and certificates distribution ceremony for 20 women inmate in the Baabda prison for women and who have completed a beautician and nail care course which Dar al Amal implemented in collaboration with Jane Nassar Academy for vocational training. Dar al Amal director, Houda Kara, thanked during her speech the General Director id the Internal Security Forces, Brigadier Ibrahim Basbus, for facilitating the work of the association aiming to rehabilitate women prisoners who now have a skill as well as a certificate that will allow them to work and reintegrate society.
Source: Al-Akhbar 26 June 2014

The workers’ union sector in Joomeh Coordination of the Future Movement organized yesterday a workshop entitled “Empowerment of CSOs”. Some 21 agricultural cooperatives attended this event in addition to the general coordinator, Issam Abdel Kader, who outlined the various initiatives and practical steps taken by the local coordination to develop the agricultural sector in the region.  Dr. Kamel Khaz3al spoke about the realities of the livestock sector and called for the adoption off a comprehensive plan to develop this sector.  He insisted on the importance for cooperatives to learn about their rights and entitlements from the Ministry of Agriculture and so as to request their due assistance in terms of agricultural extension, financial and in-kind support.
The workshop concluded with a number of recommendations namely a) the creation of a local directorate of cooperatives, a cooperative support fund and a federation of cooperatives in the North; b) follow-up the issue of animal feed and the problems faced by livestock farmers when seeking assistance and requesting from the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the quota of assistance to Akkar be as per that of other regions; c) preparing agricultural projects that are specific for Akkar and that are consistent with the nature of agricultural and livestock productions and providing veterinary health care; and e) creating and operationalising scientific institutions to guide and develop agricultural production in Akkar.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 25 June 2014

Lebanese center for civic education organized yesterday a discussion with MPs Simon Abi Ramia and Kazem el Khair.  The event was entitled “youth discuss unemployment” and was implemented within the project entitled “participate and change” which aims at building bridges between the youth and MPs.  Forty young men and women representing students’ leadership in LU, AUB, USJ, LAU, BAU, and NDU took part in this event.

Abi Ramia noted that the present situation requires calling for declaring a “youth emergency” as well as discussing laws which will help young people find jobs.  Abi Ramia also considered that the National Employment Bureau bears a big responsibility in solving the problem of unemployment and should be developing national employment policies.  Al Khair considered that the absence of accurate statistics on unemployment in Lebanon is a main reason for not being able to find appropriate solutions.  He added that some statistics speak of 11.9% unemployment while those released by the Ministry of Labor indicate 16%.  Al Khair spoke of a number of scenarios for solutions namely enacting laws that attract investments as well as finalizing a national budget which takes due consideration of investment and job creation.

The young participants issued a letter to the two MPs requesting them to undertake a number of initiatives to resolve the question of unemployment.  The said letter included a number of recommendations namely to undertake studies which would identify the size of unemployment and would provide implementable recommendations.  The letter also requests the operationalisation of the National Employment Bureau to act as a reference for youth according to their skills as well as enact laws that encourage companies to introduce professional training and also having a quota on foreign labor and reorganizing the educational system so as to match market demands.

Source: Al-Nahar 25 June 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report on the situation of tourism in the accessible part of the Litani River and which is unable to develop due to the restrictions of the authorities regarding setting up touristic resorts in the areas stretching from Khardali Bridge to Tamra and Mahmudieh farms as these plans remain under study according to the newspaper.

The report notes that tourism in this area is limited to few restaurants open in the summer and in the winter and some popular cafes as this are does not have any historical landmarks save for the Sheqeef (Beaufort) castle which is now being rehabilitated with financial assistance from the Kuwaiti Fund for Economic Development and in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism.  The newspaper notes that the president of the syndicates of touristic places in the South, Ali Tabaja, demands from the cabinet and notably from the Ministry of Tourism and the to place the South on its tourism map, provide administrative and financial incentives, such as lower taxation and electricity fees, similarly to the industrial sector, facilitate authorizations for building touristic resorts in the South, and pay compensations for those who suffered losses during the Israeli war of 2006.

The owners of restaurants and resorts in the South are also demanding that the government equip this area with the necessary infrastructure as well as refurbish the main roads leading to these resorts as this will contribute to developing projects in tourism which will surely contribute to the development of the whole region.

Source: Al-Safir 24 June 2014

Kafalat released its most recent statistics for the month of May which show a 15.21% increase in the number of new credits provided by the company.  Indeed, 356 loans were approved during the first five months of the present year compared to 309 for the same period last year.  The statistics also show an increase in the total value of Kafalat loans by 5.98%, reaching LBP 67.43 billion, the equivalent of USD 44.73 million, during the same period, compared to LBP 63.63 billion, the equivalent of USD 42.20 million for the same period of last year.  However, the data also show a slight decrease in the average size of each loan which averages LBP 189.42 million or USD 125650.  The highest proportion of credits went to the agricultural sector (50.48%) followed by industry (33.99%) and tourism (8.99%). With regards to geographical distribution, the data shows that most loans went to Mount Lebanon (42.42%) followed by Beqaa (20.51%), Nabatieh (10.96%), North Lebanon (10.67%), South Lebanon (10.11%) and finally Beirut (5.34%).
Source: Al-Safir 24 June 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report yesterday on the tobacco stringing contest organized by the Regie in collaboration with the union of tobacco growers as well as a number of South Lebanon municipalities,.  This annual event involves some 17 Southern towns and seeks to highlight the work of rural women as well as improve the quality of agriculture in addition to giving Southern women farmers the opportunity for a positive competition and encourage them to produce with a possible chance to win a valuable prize.
According to the report, the contest takes place in the village plaza or in a school or municipality.  The contestants (ages ranging between 20 and 50 yo) are given equal quantities of tobacco leaves of different sizes which they need to hand-string.  The competitions started this year in the frontal village of Hula in Marje3yun where Naimah Koteich won the first prize as she was able to complete three strings in less than 6 minutes. The first four winners received a Golden Pound each and all other contestants received various prizes.

Source: Al-Safir 24 June 2014

The President and CEO of Public Corporation for Housing (PCH), Roni La7hud, noted that the institution has provided during the first five months of 2014 loans for some 2347 individuals.  As such, the cumulative totals since 9/9/99 to date stands at 62066 loans.  La7hud added that during this same period, the institution received 75809 loan applications, while further insisting on the importance of these figures especially that the Institution injected into the real estate market some LBP 6612 billion.  For his part, the Minister of Social Affairs, Rashid Derbas stressed the importance of these figures and added that the institution through its service has helped some 250,000 Lebanese secure homes.  He further added that this is a perfect example of collaboration between the private and the public sector and should be reproduced in other sectors as well.
Source: Al-Nahar 24 June 2014