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Sit-in in Forzol, Shtura highway closed to protest smuggling

1-7-2019

In protest against the continuous smuggling of foreign produce, a number of Beqaa farmers staged a sit in on June 29 at the vegetable market of Forzul-Central Beqaa where they tossed their produce on the road. Meanwhile, the general secretary of public relations at the General Union of Agricultural Unions, Ali Shuman, grieved the disastrous situation of agriculture demanding a political solution to the impasse. He said that the Lebanese Army’s decision to restrain smuggling activity is not enough, and gave the government a 24-hour ultimatum to resolve the issue before resorting to escalation. He mentioned an intention to burn trucks used in smuggling in the heart of the Forzul market and other marketplaces. Concurrently, a group of farmers blocked the Shtura highway at the town of Makseh and threw vegetables and fruits on the road which caused heavy congestion in the area. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, July 1, 2019)

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Hospitality and tourism lab at Haigazian 

28-6-2019

The Haigazian University inaugurated on June 26 the tourism management lab with the support of Vresso for industrial kitchen solutions. On the occasion, the dean of the faculty of business and economy at the university, Fadi Asrawi, underlined the importance of the fully-equipped lab as an applied center for students majoring in tourism studies. Likewise, the coordinator of the department of tourism studies at Haigazian, Joseph Mdabar, emphasized the academic goal of the above project which focuses on the applied tourism and hospitality. It also assists students of the continued education department to put their information into real practice hands on in the lab. (An Nahar, June 28, 2010)
 

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Draft bill to regulate food economy, fight wastage

28-6-2019

The Future Movement MP, Dima Jamali, submitted ‘Fighting food wastage’ proposal to House Speaker Nabih Berri to be studied by concerned parliamentary committees and ratified later. Jamali elucidated the draft bill in a press conference at the Legislature yesterday, saying it addresses the growing phenomenon of food squandering in the country and contributes to alleviating poverty and hunger, as well as, the rationalization of food products and the reduction and management of waste. This, in addition to its positive impact on the environment, health, trade, economy and development. Jamali outlined the explanatory statements of the above law, as follows: wasting food raises the risks of food insecurity and increases poverty, hence controlling food waste puts poverty under check; wasting food causes imbalance in economy locally and globally, hence fighting it can be used as a means to protect economy and rationalize food economy. (The full draft can be found on the following link: https://bit.ly/2xfjdoq).  Noting, that MP Ghassan Mkheiber has submitted a similar law proposal back in April 2018 (https://bit.ly/2FCBtwE). (Al Mustaqbal, June 28, 2019)
 


Previous related news:
Draft bill to reduce food wastage in commercial sector
 

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Children’s welfare: Sesobel shuts down short of government funding

27-6-2019

After hints to close its doors due to financial crisis, (https://lkdg.org/ar/node/18553), Sesobel NGO for the welfare of children with disabilities, and in an address yesterday to concerned families and parties, announced that as of the beginning of next week, the charity will shut down permanently. On the subject, Al Akhbar spoke to Sesobel’s administrative director, Carmel Khoury, who stressed that the policy of ‘subsistence’ is no longer adequate in the absence of the government’s support and its slackness in releasing funds. It is true, Khoury explained, that most associations received the contracted payments for the first trimester of 2018, estimated at LB 30 billion, yet this is not enough to survive. The funds barely cover one month, Khoury lamented. She pointed out that the failure to sign contracts this current year is the main dilemma that will drive the remaining determined institutions to take similar decisions. For his part, a representative of the National Union on Mental Disabilities, Mussa Sharafedine, said Sesobel’s move represents all institutions with similar fate. Likewise, the general director of Al Hadi Institute for the Deaf, Blind and Learning disabilities, Ismail Zein, warned that if the government does not commit to conducting the contracts on time and release funds regularly, the institutions will have to cancel the academic year as of forthcoming September. (Al Akhbar, June 27, 2019)

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Half of food relief procurements is from local sources

25-6-2019

The industry minister, Wael Abu Faour, discussed yesterday with the UN Permanent Resident in Lebanon, Philip Lazarini, ways to increase the value of procurement by international organizations operating in Lebanon of made-in-Lebanon products and give priority to local industrial and agricultural merchandise to this effect. Lazarini, during the meeting, clarified that the UN in Lebanon has set an objective to prop the Lebanese economy and production, pointing out that around half a billion dollars have been directly pumped in as part of the inclusive plan to respond to the crisis in the country. He revealed that nearly 55% of food products that have been purchased as per the plan, are made in Lebanon. UN agencies, he added, depends in most of its procurement transactions and services on Lebanese suppliers. For his part, Abu Faour explained that UN organizations operating in Lebanon spend huge sums to help in the repatriation of Syrian refugees, noting that part of the funds are conducted through Lebanese manufacturers, traders and agents, but that more regulation is needed. (Al Diyar, June 14, 2019)

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Music festivals in Dbayeh, Ashrafieh, wine nights in Dhur Shweir

24-6-2019

Representing President Michel Aoun, the minister of tourism, Avedis Guidanian, inaugurated on Sunday the Music Festival, ‘Taste the Music’, organized by Dbayeh International Festivals Committee to mark the International Day of Music. On the occasion, Guidanian assured the Lebanese people that the tourism season shall be encouraging this year as it will be accompanied by a series of concurrent events in various regions. President Aoun, Guidanian stressed, is following up on the preparations made by the ministry and is contributing to provision of facilities needed to embrace the incoming Arab, foreign and Lebanese visitors. On the same day, former minister Michel Pharaon, opened the annual music festival, “Live Ashrafieh’ organized in the heart of Sassin Square in Ashrafieh by “Live Ashrafieh’ association in partnership with the Municipality of Beirut. The festival stands despite the unstable economic and security situation, Pharaon said, adding, that this event declares the end of the academic year and the beginning of the festival season which, he maintained, should keep the past years’ momentum. On the other hand, the Municipality of Dhur Shweir celebrated on Saturday the ‘Wine Nights’ with the participation of local wine companies, in order to prop the wine production in the country. During the event, the director general of the ministry of agriculture, Louis Lahud, underlined the need to develop the sector which has established its presence all over the world, and appealed to Lebanese expats to facilitate the marketing of the Lebanese brands to preserve Lebanon’s legacy. (Al Diyar, June 23, 24, 2019)

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Ehmej Festivals from 15 to 18 August

20-6-2019

In a press conference held at the ministry of tourism and in the presence of Byblos MPs, Minister Avedis Guidanian, launched yesterday the 9th edition of the Ehmej Touristic Festivals. During the ceremony, Ehmej mayor, Nazih Abu Semaan, lamented the policy of austerity by the government, citing challenges that faced the festivals over the past 8 years until now. Jbeil deputies, for their part, thanked the municipality for its continuous efforts to organize the festival, notwithstanding the currently dire economic situation, noting that the Ehmej Festival has landed on the internal tourism map. Likewise, Guidanian pointed out that festivals constitute the backbone of domestic tourism, hoping his expectations of a promising summer season will come true. Recalling, that the Ehmej Festival will take place this year from August 15 to 18, with the participation of Lebanese stars. (Al Diyar, June 20, 2019)

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Wheat farmers' entitlements still pending

19-6-2019

The head of the Beqaa Farmers’ Gathering, Ibrahim Tarshishi, appealed to the ministers of economy and finance to step up payment of dues to wheat growers for 2018. He said some 500 farmers are still awaiting their reimbursements, noting that Baalbaq Hermel and Beqaa farmers have started this year’s harvest of nearly 125,000 dunums, but they fear delay in collecting the supplies, as was the case in previous seasons. Tarshishi revealed that only 60 wheat growers have received compensation after talks with a member of the Legislature. The Lebanese State treats farmers like beggars, he said, leaving them in anticipation of the promises of the economy ministry which claims to have referred the allocations to the finance ministry, and the latter has not signed to date for routine fiscal procedures. According to Al Akhbar daily, this current year’s production of wheat is estimated between 45,000 and 50,000 tons, pointing out that Lebanon’s yearly import of the crop stands at 500,000 tons. Tarshishi pointed out that Lebanon exports to Jordan, Turkey and Iraq for alleged reasons that the domestically-grown wheat is not suitable for flour and baking, while reminding that wheat seeds are provided by the state-run Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute. On the subject, the owner of ADCO, Rabii Khamis said things can be catastrophic, especially amidst a pressing economic crisis which threatens to shut down many businesses. (Al Akhbar, June 19, 2019)

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Endeavors to support domestic industry, agriculture

18-6-2019

The president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association (LIA), Fadi Gemayel, stressed yesterday that the value of Lebanese exports which stood at USD 4 and half billion in 2011, has declined to USD 2 billion today, noting that the local industry boasts real capacities to stimulate economic growth. Gemayel, who was speaking during a joint ministerial-parliamentary meeting with industrialists, pointed to the mission accomplished with the new budget in terms of the approval of quality fees on 20 commodities (https://lkdg.org/ar/node/18528). He explained that the reduction of nearly USD one billion in the trade deficit is offset by the provision of some 20,000 jobs directly, and 44,000 indirectly, based on recent UNIDO reports. For his part, the minister of industry, Wael Abu Faour, revealed that meeting parties agreed to form a parliamentary bloc supportive of the industry and other productive sectors. The aim of the committee is to keep up with the financial and economic debate in the Legislature and bolster the protection of industry through introducing new protectionist diktats in the budget to fight dumping. On the other hand, the minister of agriculture, Hassan Lakiss, said on June 15, repeatedly said that protecting domestic production is the prime goal of his ministry. Lakiss, who was speaking during the internal conference of the General Union of Agricultural Syndicates, added, that smuggling poses a great threat to the local agricultural production. He disclosed under-the-table meetings between the Lebanese and Syrian ministries of public works to resolve the issue of high customs enforced on Lebanese export trucks. He revealed that a delegation of his ministry visited Syria as part of its key role to facilitate the marketing of domestic produce which was hampered for years. Lakiss clarified that his ministry has lifted restrictions on the export of Lebanese agricultural production in order to balance supply and demand in the interest of both farmers and consumers. (Al Diyar, June 16, 18, 2019)

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Summer of 2019: Cherry festival in Hammana

18-6-2019

For the 13th consecutive year, the Municipality of Hammana organized on Sunday the Hammana Cherry Festival at the town’s square. On the occasion, mayor Fadi Salibi underlined the importance of the festival which is indicative of the country’s agricultural legacy, as well as the authenticity of the cherry tree and its contribution to the town’s economy. “This beautiful day helps in marketing the production of cherries in Hammana and the environs,” Salibi maintained. “It is a bright beginning for the summer season and a transition period to promote rural and environmental, and even religious, tourism in Hammana,” he added. The festival, Salibi concluded, is a key catalyst in motivating the local youth to engage in public affairs and to contribute their capacities in the development and advancement of their towns. (Al Akhbar, June 18, 2019)

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