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Cattle farmers critical of subsidy on imported powder milk

22-6-2020

In its issue on Saturday, Al Akhbar daily wrote that while dairy cow breeders awaited support in light of the dollar and lira crisis, the government opted for subsidizing importation of powder milk at the expense of local production. In the details, the newspaper said that rather than protecting the domestic dairy sector, the Lebanese state decided to back imported powder milk packed in 25 kg bags hence encouraging dairy and cheeses factories to replace fresh milk with powder milk and sell it as organic milk products. Al Akhbar went on to say, that dairy plants which directly import milk save nearly LBP 400 per a kg of powder milk compared to the fresh product. On this subject, the head of Cattle Breeders, Omar Kheir, disclosed that the Syndicate has asked the economy ministry to reconsider the subsidization decision which as he said, harms local breeders and violates LIBNOR standards. The latter to note, disallows the use of powder milk in this industry with the exception of labneh, provided that it mentions the ingredients are powder-milk based, which the majority of factories do not observe. Kheir stressed that the above decision has exacerbated the situation, noting that problems facing the sector have increased since last October with a slump of the fresh milk production from 700 tons to 400 tons per day due to the fluctuation of the dollar. This has forced many to relinquish the business which no longer subsists a decent livelihood, Kheir lamented. (Al Akhbar, June 22, 2020)

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Local initiative to boost Lebanese food security

22-6-2020

The Lebanese National Energy (LNE) organization working in the field of human and economic development, announced in a statement yesterday that it has launched earlier in April called “Amnak al Ghizai Amno” (Secure Your Food Security) initiative to boost national food security. LNE to this end has distributed trees and more than 19,000 packs of multiple seeds in various Lebanese regions as a contribution to increasing individual agricultural produce to face the growing food crisis. The LNE statement also revealed that more than 50 young men and women have joined the “Jayeen Niqtof Sawa” campaign to experience the farm and back to the roots life in support of cherry growers in the Upper Matn areas last Saturday and Sunday. The LNE, according to the statement, aims to provide technical support through a workshop run by specialists in collaboration with Rene Mouwad Foundation; ease financial burdens through assisting in the picking season; highlight the need to create seasonal jobs for the Lebanese youth; prop internal eco-tourism and promote the role of women in rural areas with focus on the Lebanese kitchen through a rural dinner featuring home-made products. (Al Diyar, June 22, 2020)
 

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Government decision to allow shisha in restaurants provokes civil opposition

19-6-2020

Unions, universities, hospitals and health and civil society organizations sent an open letter to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers asking them to withdraw a decision to restore the shisha services in public places due to its multiple health risks. The president of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, Sharaf Abu Sharaf, is expected to hold a press conference today on the above decision and related Banning Smoking or Tobacco Control Law No. 174. This call comes after a circular issued by the minister of tourism Wednesday which allows the serving of shisha outdoors in restaurants and cafes. The Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Patisseries has been requesting a relaxation of the smoking ban act (https: //bit.ly/3dabGd6). The letter cautioned the need to reverse the decision and strictly comply to Law 174 especially in the time of coronavirus and after that, citing studies which have shown that smoking of any kind increases the risk of infection with Covid-19. It enumerated the detrimental impact of smoking on coronavirus patients. The signatories of the letter demanded a complete ban of shisha during and after corona advising for taking lessons from the progress made in this direction during the lockdown and coordinating between ministries for a rigorous enforcement of Law No. 174. The letter can be found on the following link: (https://bit. ly/30T7Mmt). According to Al Akhbar newspaper, the parties signing the letter, are, the Orders of Physicians, Nurses, Engineers and the Beirut Bar Association, in addition to private universities, including AUB, USJ, Antonine and LAU, the K2P Center at AUB, Campaign 174 and the WHO Center for Hookah Smoking Research at AUB. (An Nahar, Al Akhbar, June 19, 2020)

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Curbing smuggling through cooperation with Syria

18-6-2020

The minister of agriculture, Abbas Mortada, stressed to a delegation of potato growers he met yesterday the need for strict border control in order to stop smuggling activity and protect national economy. Every farmer and citizen has a role in safeguarding domestic production and combatting cross-border smuggling by reporting any smuggled goods in the local market, Mortada stated, endorsing on another occasion a state of emergency to this effect. On the same matter, former minister Hassan Murad, tweeted saying: “Smuggling is a prevalent pattern between neighboring countries that have trade ties, friendly relations and good neighborliness. Smuggling to and from Syria has been there since the establishing of the borders between the two nations. The only way to stop smuggling is through coordination between the governments of the two countries and economic integration, because Syria is our sole gateway to the wider Arab world.” On the other hand, Mortada disclosed after receiving a delegation of grain and sugar beet growers, that export and transit problems on Jordanian border were resolved. He also said that compensations for wheat growers are now on next week’s cabinet agenda. (Al Diyar, June 14, 15, 2020)

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Exchange of farming expertise between Lebanon and Bulgaria

18-6-2020

Within the framework of efforts to develop a food emergency plan that boosts agriculture (https://bit.ly/2YMw3Yx), the minister of agriculture, Abbas Mortada, met with the Bulgarian Ambassador to Beirut to discuss agricultural cooperation. Both sides agreed to complete a memorandum of understanding that supports the exchange of expertise to this effect, specifically in the field of livestock and grain growing. Discussion also touched on common cultural matters and the possibility of holding joint cultural events in the near future. (Al Diyar, June 17, 2020)

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Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants in Lebanon seeks to relax smoking ban

16-6-2020

The Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Patisseries in Lebanon is bracing for submitting a complete file including corona-related prevention rules that allow smoking and shisha services at Lebanese eateries. The plan, at the same time, is reportedly keen on protecting smoking and non-smoking customers as well as the interests of various tourist facilities similar to Arab and world countries. To this effect, the Syndicate issued a statement on June 11 noting that, since March 27, it has held a series of meetings with concerned officials to regulate Law 174 which bans smoking in closed public places and play fair with hospitality institutions to mitigate the impact of said law on the tourism sector. The Syndicate clarified that it has drafted an amendment to the law with lawmakers and judges at the Shura Council to this end, revealing that the proposal is currently with MP Yassin Jaber, head of the Law Enforcement Follow Up Committee to be discussed soon in the Legislature. From the Syndicate’s viewpoint, the present law does not take into consideration the preferences of the Arab culture nor the unique features related to the Arab Gulf tourism and the labor market associated with it that Lebanon largely invest in. According to the statement, there are around 2500 Lebanese and oriental themed restaurants and cafes in Lebanon employing tens of thousands of workers. (Al Diyar, June 12, 2020)

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Ministerial plan to compensate farmers, tobacco growers’ loose because of USD hike

15-6-2020

The minister of agriculture, Abbas Mortada, discussed his ministry’s agricultural policy during a consultative meeting on June 9 for the agri-food public departments and institutions. Mortada outlined the vision of the support strategy needed to alleviate the anguish of farmers and provide agricultural inputs subsidized in hard currency by Banque du Liban. In this respect, the member of the Liberation and Development Bloc, MP Qassem Hashem, during a tour on farmers and cultivated lands in the Marie and Wazzani areas in the South, demanded more attention to agriculture, specifically in the borderline villages. He stressed the need to develop a clear-cut plan to facilitate the transition from a rentier to a productive economy, provide financial and technical assistance, compensate farmers after the heavy losses they suffered due to the skyrocketing prices of fertilizers and nutrients, the slump of produce and their inability to pay their loans and debts. Meanwhile, Al Akhbar reported on June 6 that the USD hike has hit tobacco growers twice to date. On the one hand, the rise in the prices of agricultural raw material has caused a swift slump of the harvest after more than half the value of the yield dropped as a result of currency fluctuation. On the other hand, the restrictive banks’ policies led to the installment of farmers’ entitlements deposited last year in these banks by the Regie, not to mention the banks’ decision this year to deprive farmers of the ‘privilege’ of so-called ‘mortgage license’. (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, June 6, 7, 10, 2020)
 

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A farmer’s market in Ghalbun, Jbeil

13-6-2020

A new farmer’s market was opened at “Beit Baydar” garden in Ghalboun, Byblos Caza, in cooperation with “Byout Ghalboun” and under the auspices of the minister of agriculture to sell the produce of the town and neighboring villages directly to the consumer. On the occasion, the pastor of the Diocese of Byblos, Michel Aoun, said the event encourages agriculture and return to the roots. Similarly, the director general of the ministry, Louis Lahoud, who represented minister Mortada, hoped this initiative be streamlined in all areas across Lebanon, as it contributes to attaining food security. Lahoud underlined the importance of direct trading of good quality produce between farmers and consumers which reduces the cost on the Lebanese citizen. He finally announced that the agriculture ministry is open to all ideas, pointing to a strategy it developed to prop farmers’ markets and sell production. (Al Diyar, July 13, 2020)
 

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Sustainable development model in Batlun, Shuf

9-6-2020

On June 8, Al Akhbar drew attention to a new agricultural model in the Shuf town of Batlun integrating organic farming, rational waste management and alternative tourism or ecotourism. According to mayor Marwan Kais, the idea came up in 2016 by the Lebanese House Establishment for the Environment (LHEE) and a group of town women who developed a strategy that included a comprehensive survey of Batlun. This, Kais explained, has coincided with Sukleen, the waste management company, ending its services in the Shuf area and another replacing it. The latter has provided some 100 public garbage sorting containers to encourage household waste sorting at the source. In turn, Baruk Cedar Forest or Reserve delivered around 500 chickens with 20 cages to help reduce the size of organic waste. To this effect, Kais said, Batlun successfully managed to cut its accumulative waste management bill from USD 165,000 in 2015 to LBP 110 million in 2018 as a result of waste sorting, the conversion of food residuals into organic fertilizers and the re-selling of cardboard and glass to recycling centers. On the agricultural front, Kais said he anticipated that before long there will be a market for farmers to sell their produce directly to the consumer away from dealers’ and wholesalers’ influence. On the other hand, the environment activist, Munzer Bou Wadi, boasted that Batlun has braced itself to become a station for alternative tourism, and a station has been launched to accommodate nature walks from the village to Maaser Shuf, Botmeh and Khreibeh along the woodlands. (Al Akhbar, June 8, 2020)

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Finding prospects for youth, inspiring independent work

4-6-2020

The minister of labor, Lamia Yammin, yesterday discussed with ESCWA Executive Secretary, Rola Dashti, labor matters and possibilities to create jobs for the youth to counter the alarming rate of unemployment caused by the worsening economic situation coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic. To this effect, Dashti said discussions covered several topics, including, frameworks of cooperation on the strategy of the labor sector in Lebanon; bridging the educational sector and labor market needs, and the rehabilitation and training of university graduates for future jobs. Many jobs, require specific skills that are not supported in current curricula, Dashti maintained, stressing the need to reorient and train the young generation and fresh graduates to qualify for the most-in-demand jobs. Dashti said talks with the labor minister also tackled the labor law which is currently being upgraded to contribute to the economic recovery, as well as serve the private sector and the small enterprises that prop jobs for the youth and encourage them to work independently. (Al Diyar, June 4, 2020)

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