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Potato, apples and poultry farmers lament unchecked imports

31-1-2019

President Michel Aoun maintained on January 25th that the agricultural sector in Lebanon is a vital one, while criticising over dependance on tourism and other service sectors, adding that instability in Lebanon, has negatively affected the tourism and service sectors. Furthermore, he went on saying that nearly 20% of the Lebanese population entirely rely on agriculture for livelihood, while a similar percentage is partially dependent on that sector. 
Agriculture in Lebanon, to recap, faces many challenges notably: foreign competition, the closure of borders, difficulty in exporting and poor government support. Regarding potato, the head of the Cooperative Association of Potato Farmers in Akkar, on January 27, appealed to concerned authorities to limit or clearly determine the amount of potatoes imported from Egypt, in an attempt to salvage the local harvest in Akkar, lamenting the illegal entry of the crop from neighboring Syria. In the poultry sector, MP Hadi Abul Hosn, demanded protection of the poultry producers, including monitoring the importation of frozen or smuggled chicken, stating that around 25 thousand households working in the sector have been harmed as a result. Meanwhile, the minister of agriculture, Hussein Haj Hassan, pressed for the protection of dairy producers through introducing so-called customs protection system to regulate the import of powdered milk, cheeses and fresh milk. As for apple growing, Bsherreh apple growers has recently complained from continued illegal dumping of foreign products. To this end, MP Joseph Isaac on January 25, discussed with the Customs Chief, Badri Daher, the control of the amounts of Syrian and Turkish apples sneaked illicitly into the country in order to allow farmers to market their produce hoarded in cold storage. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, January 26, 27, 28, 2019)
 

Previous related news:
McKinsey Plan for Lebanon: endorse agriculture, legalize cannabis
President Aoun promises to work on reopening border crossings for Lebanese exports
Farmers' misfortunes: Blocked borders, unfair competition, unpaid compensations
Agriculture in Lebanon has yet to receive the due public attention
Agriculture in Lebanon not doing well
Crisis of agriculture to continue amidst government’s indifference
Crisis of marketing crops versus government’s disability

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Regie of tobacco supports 16 development projects

31-1-2019

Under the patronage of finance minister, Ali Hassan Khalil, the Regie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs held a ceremony yesterday to distribute financial aid allocated for the implementation of development projects in 16 towns and villages in the South, North and Beqaa areas. The contributions covered the villages of Tal Abbas west of Saadine, Samunia in Akkar, Khirbet Silm, Kafra, Hadatha and Rmeish in Bint Jbeil, Al Ain, Kasr Nabba and Ali Nahri in Beqaa, Taybeh, Shebaa and Kantara in Marjey3oon, Tora and Salaa in Tyre and Nabatiyeh el Fowka in Nabatiyeh area. Projects include the construction of public halls and the building of retaining or support walls for agricultural purposes, rehabilitation or construction of ponds and water canals and reservoirs, equipping of artesian wells, construction of agricultural roads and purchase of trucks for collecting garbage. On the occasion, Khalil maintained that the state-run Regie is one of the main institutions that give the country hope in improving the performance and work of public departments. For his part, the general director of the Regie, Nassif Seqlawi, said that, besides its economic role, the company boasts a key development and environmental mission, noting that in recent years, it has supported 178 municipalities in the North, South and Bekaa regions. (Al Diyar, January 31, 2019)

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Maritime export bridge suspended

30-1-2019

The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) has reportedly suspended the sea export bridge program, according to Al Diyar today. This comes after the expiration of the period previously set by the council of minister this end, and despite the availability of funds to support it. The newspaper mentioned one of the reasons for the non-renewal as the absence of a government to take on executive decisions, in addition to the resumption of Nassib Crossing at the Syrian-Jordanian borders. Recalling, that nearly 85% of the overall Lebanese exports used to pass through said crossing. (Al Diyar, January 30, 2019)

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New concrete steps to develop Tripoli SEZ

25-1-2019

As parts of the on-going efforts to develop the Port of Tripoli and the Special Economic Zone, SEZ, the minister of public works, Yousef Finianos, discussed yesterday with the director of the Port of Tripoli, Ahmad Tamer, SEZ CEO, Raya Hassan, and the prime minister’s advisor for the North, Abdel Ghani Tabbara, ways of envisaging an economic strategy for the North which boasts many logistic locations with the Port of Tripoli and the various facilities and harbors. Hassan clarified that in the beginning, a protocol of cooperation, integration and coordination will be signed between SEZ and the Port of Tripoli. On the other hand, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli and the North, Toufic Daboosi, in his participation in the recently held Arab Private Sector Forum, spotlighted sn smbitious national, regional and international investment project that will focus on the Greater Tripoli area. The said economic venture aims at expanding and the current Port of Tripoli facility some about 20 kms north towards Akkar while linking it with the Rene Mouawad Quleiat Airport, Daboosi explained. He added that linking the port to the airfield also covers the oil refinery in Al Badawi. Daboosi pointed out that linking the Port of Tripoli with Quleiat Airport is not only a vital economic investment project, but also will trigger off deep social transformations involving the entire North and will positively impact the national economy in general. In the same vein, the largest Russian oil producer, Rosneft, reportedly signed a 20 year long agreement with the Lebanese ministry of energy to take on the management of the oil storage terminal located in Tripoli. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, January 20, 2019)

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Regie contributed USD 419 million to treasury in 2018 and Casino USD 90 million

25-1-2019

The general director of the Regie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs, Nassif Seqlawi, announced on January 18 that the state-run institution transferred USD 491 million (LBP 628 billion) of its 2018 proceeds to the state treasury. The Regie also extended some 45 development packages to the villages growing tobacco and tambac in the South, North and Beqaa areas, and around 110 scholarships, in addition to organizing awareness campaigns on child labor and women economic empowerment workshops, Seqlawi said. In a related vein, the chairperson of Casino du Liban, Roland Khoury, said on January 12, that the Casino has transferred nearly USD 90 million of its profits in 2018 to the treasury, compared to USD 60 million in 2017. Khoury spelled out promises by politicians to renew the franchise for the Casino, pointing to plans by the administration for the next 20 years. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, January 14, 19, 20, 2019)

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‘Paper One Show’ exhibition in Sin el Fil

25-1-2019

In collaboration with the Arab Federation for Paper, Printing and Packaging Industries, and under the patronage of industry minister, Hussein Haj Hassan, Al Furat Paper Trading is organizing on January 28, the 3rd edition of the Paper One Show, 2019, at Biel’s new location in Sin el Fil, Beirut. The head of the organizing firm, Tarek Fakkas, notes that around 80 suppliers and manufacturers in the paper and board production and packaging industry from Lebanon, Europe, Turkey, China, India and Arab countries will partake in the 3-day event. New technologies, paper and card board, machines, raw material, accessories and paper mills lines will be showcased, and some 3,000 industrial experts are expected to attend the event. (Al Diyar, January 25, 2019)

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Agricultural risk assessment to alleviate natural disasters

24-1-2019

In collaboration with FAO and the National Council for Scientific Research, CNRS, the ministry of agriculture released yesterday a study entitled, ‘Assessment of risks affecting the agricultural sectors in Lebanon to mitigate disasters and adaptation to climate change’. During the launch ceremony, minister Zeiater said the survey constitutes a fundamental scientific base for the development of a national policy aimed at reducing menaces threatening the sector and work to implement it. This involves reactivating the plan kicked off by the ministry and updating the response plan for disasters and crises developed in 2015 with the cooperation of the Disaster Risk Management Unit at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers affiliated with UNDP. For his part, FAO representative in Lebanon, Maurice Saadeh, explained that this assessment plays a key role in drawing a national agricultural strategy. The economic dimension of these risks, Saadeh maintained, occupies a large part of investments in the sector, in the prevention, adaptation or response aspects. In conclusion, a synopsis of the study was presented which showed that agriculture in Lebanon has always been vulnerable to climate change, diseases, and increased temperatures and precipitation. The study also revealed that with proven climate change and political instability in Lebanon and the region, this assessment serves as a starting point to understand risks involved and improve strategies to manage and reduce those risks. (An Nahar, January 24, 2019)

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Agriculture NGO Unit to help Baalbaq farmers

23-1-2019

The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) launched yesterday the Agricultural Unit at its headquarters in Baalbaq in the presence of the head of Baalbaq/ Hermel Governorate Department, Dureid Hellani, representing the mayor Bashir Khudr, and farmers and mukhtars of the area. During the launch ceremony, LOST director and founder, Rami Lakkis, pointed out that the agricultural unit aims at supporting local farmers and the agricultural sector in general. The unit thus serves as a community farm with a mission to train and assist farmers with their needs for seedlings, fertilizers and pesticides, in addition to setting up agricultural cooperatives to the same end, Lakkis said. The project develops the capacities of farmers through building confidence between them and the undertaking, Lakkis explained, pointing to the continuous collaboration with the ministry of agriculture, the FAO and other concerned international agencies in this regard. He concluded by stressing that coops that come from a political background are not successful, contrary to coops that are purely based on agriculture, noting that LOST will support existing cooperatives and help in founding new ones. (Al Mustaqbal, Jaunary 23, 2019)

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Anti-smuggling efforts: seizing veggies and fruits in Tripoli, combatting contraband tobacco in 2018

18-1-2019

The Directorate General of Customs announced in a statement yesterday, that border checkpoints in Abbudieh in the North have, in less than a week, accomplished seven anti-smuggling missions and seized amounts of fruits and vegetables sneaked into the country (carrots, tomato, potato, cucumber, eggplant, turnip, cauliflower, onion, zucchini, lemon and pomegranate). Pursuant to direct instructions from the North District Customs advising strict control of illicit agricultural goods smuggled from neighboring Syria, and with the consent of the General Customs, the seized goods were distributed equally among charities in the area, the statement said. The total fines collected has reached LBP 25,632,000.- the statement added. On the other hand, the state-run Regie declared yesterday that its anti-smuggling teams have issued around 81 tickets (equivalent to LBP 2 billion and 726 million) for contraband goods during 2018. The seized items amounted to 3900 kg, including about 1440 kg of cigarettes, 2406 kg of shisha (mou’sal flavor), 18 kg of Esfahan tombac, 14 kg of cigars and 46 kg of tombac and tobacco. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, January 18, 2019)

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Food safety : Economy ministry suspends trading in Cortas products

17-1-2019

The minister of economy in the caretaker government, Raed Khury, issued yesterday five circulars relating to the suspension or resumption in the trading of specific goods. Some of the products banned from trading, included meat products by Wehbeh meat house located in Tiro-Shweifat south of Beirut, for failing to comply with the provisions of directive 496/1 concerning the regulation, transporting and testing samples of the imported meat. Al Saray drinking water bottled by Al Saraya trading company, Shweifat- Amrusia area, is also among the suspended items for not observing Lebanese specifications. On the other hand, the minister’s decision sanctioned the resumption of two varieties of turnip pickles by the Dora-based Cortas company and Khayrat al Biqaa al Akhdar in Tyre, after lab tests proved the absence of the prohibited color additives in them. Another product which resumed trading are the breads and pastries of Al Ai’la al Haditha Bakery in Aisha Bakkar, Beirut. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, January 17, 2019)

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