Other news

The head of the agricultural branch of the General National Federation of Lebanese Cooperatives, and President of the Cooperative Association of the Olive Farmers in Kura, George Constantine Inati, warned of the possible extinction of olive cultivation in Lebanon as a result of fierce unlawful competition from Syria. He pointed out that this year’s olive season in neighboring Syria was excellent, exceeding an estimated one million ton, noting that Syrian olive oil is being sold in Lebanon at half the cost price of the corresponding Lebanese product. In this respect, Inati appealed in a letter to the Syrian agriculture and agricultural reform minister, Ahmad Kaderi, to find a solution to the crisis. He urged him to issue a regulatory order restricting all exports to the Syrian government and its affiliated export companies only. He also recalled that the Lebanese agriculture minister has issued a ban on the imports of olives and olive oil similarly to actions taken by the governments of Syria, Jordan and the Palestinian authorities.

On the other hand, citrus farmers in the northern plains of Akkar while describing this year’s season as ‘excellent’ in quality and the size of production, complained about the narrow possibilities of marketing their products since the closure of borders with Syria. One farmer and exporter, Mohamad Mobayid, expressed his grief regarding the deteriorating financial situation resulting from the decline in export activity and fall in prices in the domestic market where supply is higher than demand, noting as well the high cost of exports through container vessels. (As Safir, January 20, 2016)

 

The Daily Star published in its issue of today a feature on the migration of the educated and highly skilled Lebanese youth in search for jobs and interviewed a number of young Lebanese to this effect.  A medical student, Carlos Ajami, 31, said his family has invested nearly USD110,000 in his education, but “my salary after graduation was very low which forced me to look for a better opportunity abroad, and I was accepted by a German hospital.” The story of Ajami is not unique, as an entire generation of Lebanese aged between 20 and 35 believes that employment prospects in the country are slim and consequently, they tend to leave. According to statistical data published by Information International in 2015, around 34% of young people have expressed a desire to emigrate. Also, the University Observatory for Socio-Economics situation indicated that since 1992, more than 500 thousand persons, mostly young, have actually left the country. Similarly, data of Lebanon’s Central Administration for Statistics in 2011 indicates that 77% of the total umber of emigrants is under the age of 35 years. The newspaper went on to conclude that despite stringent emigration conditions and high financial costs, most of interviews people favor leaving the country in search for a more prosperous and stable future. Quoting Sabine Haupt from the Goethe-Institute in Beirut, the newspaper reported that Germany is the desirable destination for educated youth, particularly since it is a highly industrial country in need of skilled newcomers. (Daily Star, January 19, 2016)