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After the sit-ins organized by 3arsaal farmers demanding compensation for their losses in fruit production (cherries, apricots and apples), the last of which was a sit-in held yesterday in front of the Grand Serail, the Cabinet decided to allocate a sum of LBP 10 billion (equivalent to USD 6.6 million) to the Higher Relief Council (HRC) to compensate losses of cherry growers incurred over the past three years and commissioned the Army to do the required field surveys. On the subject, 3arsaal’s deputy mayor, Rima Krumbi, told As Safir newspaper that the amount (LBP 10 billion) does not even represent half of the losses estimated at LBP 23 billion per year, according to statistics collected by the town’s agricultural committee. However, Krumbi pointed out that 3arsaal’s residents will persevere in following up their cause until the end. For its part, the aforementioned committee while considering the compensation as a significant step forward, drew attention to other important measures that are required notably:  Provision of the necessary agricultural inputs such as veterinary drugs, fodder to the livestock, seedlings and seeds to the farmers; the setting up of new agricultural projects; support to green houses and the opening of agricultural extension centers. The committee also demanded that safety of all roads leading to the orchards, that constitute the basis of the livelihoods of inhabitants, be firmly secured. Meanwhile, the Lebanese government during yesterday meeting also decided to allocate a sum of LBP 2.6 billion (USD 1.7million) to the HRC to compensate poultry farmers for the destruction of their production units by the Avian Influenza. (L’Orient Le Jour, As Safir, Al Diyar, October 14, 2016)  

 

Previous related news: 

Arsal farmers demand compensation for lost fruits seasons

High time for poultry producers to stage their protest

 

Various representatives’ bodies and institutions of the olive sector in Lebanon teamed up with dissenting apple and wheat farmers to call for government protection and support. The announcement came after an emergency meeting last week led by the head of the Agriculture Branch in the National Trade Union of Cooperative Associations, George Ainati that was convened in order to discuss the threat to the domestic olive cultivation by imported olive oil and to mobilize farmers to prevent the worse. A statement issued at the end of the meeting stated: “During the last harvest, millions of olive oil containers have been imported which left the bulk of local olive production in stocks, despite the agriculture ministry’s decision to halt the import for a few months.” The statement went on to warn that any quantities of olive oil entering the country, regardless of their source, are dubbed illegal, and hence, are subject to be burned or destroyed by farmers along with the trucks carrying them.” In conclusion, the statement also pointed out that the Lebanese Army consumes inedible imported oil only to satisfy the greed of a few traders and shippers. Meanwhile, the Cooperative Association for Animal Development and Husbandry in the town of Andkit has received some 6 battery-run olive harvesters from the USAID, in the presence of the agency’s representative in Lebanon, Ranim Abdel Kader. To this effect, the head of the beneficiary cooperative, Toni Elias, announced that these machines will be placed at the disposal of the town’s farmers in order to reduce the cost of harvest and improve the quality of olive oil. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, The Daily Star, October 4,5, 12, 2016)

 

Farmers and people of Arsal in the Beqaa staged a sit-in yesterday in Riad el Solh square, Beirut in protest for the delayed compensation for the lost fruits seasons (cherries, apples and apricots) similar to the apple and wheat farmers. In his appeal to the Speaker of the House and to the Prime Minister, Arsal mayor, Bassil Hojeiri, disclosed the purpose of the rally which centers around two main demands: first, payment of compensations for three years of failed harvest seasons in the Arsal upper mountains that were lost due to the hazardous security situation in the area, and secondly, the securing of all the roads leading to the orchards which represent the basic livelihoods of the inhabitants. For her part, the deputy mayor of the town, Rima Krunbi, blamed the PM and the Agriculture Minister for neglecting this issue. Furthermore, the delegation of farmers and residents of Arsal also met yesterday with Minister Akram Shehayeb to raise their grievances and to inform him of the dire general conditions prevailing in their area. Shehayeb expressed support to the farmers’ just demands and promised to raise the matter in Cabinet. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 11, 2016)

 

Following the launch by the Ministry of Health last December of the results of the program for quality standardization of restaurants and food institutions in Beirut, Minister Wael Abu Fa3ur announced yesterday the formal results for Kesrwan in the presence of the President of the Syndicate for Owners of Restaurants, Toni Rami. According to these results, some 83 establishments were qualified, 63 of which received a gold certificate and 20 establishments the silver one, noting that the total number of food institutions that partook in the program was not mentioned.  While considering that the food health safety campaign launched earlier by his ministry has become a cultural trend, Abu Fa3ur thanked the above Syndicate for its responsiveness, maintaining the ministry’s determination to expand the scheme outside the confines of the capital. He said the silver or gold certificates should be posted at the entrance of qualified establishments to acknowledge the meticulous process that these establishments have been through with the Ministry of Public Health and to distinguish them from establishments which do not hold such certificates. Abu Fa3ur finally pledged that his ministry will follow up the classification process, and the next step will be Aley and the Metn. For full names of certified restaurants, please visit the following link: http://bit.ly/2dM5lZu. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, As Safir, October 11, 2016)

 

Similar to the fate of other agricultural sectors (apple growers, wheat and dairy farmers..) owners of poultry farms in the regions of Hasbayya, Marjayoon, Bent Jbeil and Tyre staged a sit-in last Saturday blocking the road of Khardali linking Marjayoon with Nabatiyeh to protest losses incurred on them over a year now as a result of the government's irresponsible stand. Another reason for the unfolding dissent, is the fierce competition from the frozen chicken imported from Brazil or that smuggled from neighboring Syria, which have led to the reduction of the prices below the cost of production. To recall, the minister of agriculture issued last month a directive enforcing a prior license from the minister himself to import all frozen poultry around the year. During the rally, poultry farmers who hoisted banners demanding official support and protection to the sector, blocked the road with live chicken, sustaining that domestic production is ample and meets the needs of the local market. They pointed out to the presence of over 50 farms in the districts of Hasbayya and Marjayoon which sustain the livelihoods of dozens of households, lamenting the deadlock in disposing of their produce. On the subject, the local MP, Dr. Kassim Hashim, partaking in the sit-in, appealed for immediate action to salvage the industry similar to the apple cultivation crisis. Likewise, the President of the Syndicate of Poultry Producers, Imad Yassin, in his address to demonstrators, wondered if it were “logical that the price of one kg of chicken from the farm is the same as the price of one kg of bread?” He criticized the rationale of the government which approves loans to assist farmers and at the same time endorses the import of foreign products to compete with local production. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, October 8 and 10, 2016)

 

In a special  feature issued on Saturday, The Daily Star newspaper portrayed one of the most popular desserts on Ashura, known as Kaak al Abbas (al Abbas cookies), which is distributed among families and neighbors and in the husseiniya where the religious occasion is commemorated. The sweet, the newspaper wrote, has earned additional fame last week after House Speaker, Nabih Berri, offered a basket-full of the cookies to his MPs. Simply a dough mixed with sugar and anis seeds and cut into circles, Kaak al Abbas is distributed out of the love of Imam Hussein and out of their respect for the souls of their deceased. The sweet is named after Al Abbas Bin Ali Bin Abi Taleb, best known as Abi al Fadel, who was his comrade and companion. The newspaper spoke to one person that is involved in the preparation of the special sweets. Ahmad Far7hat, from the town of Numeiriyeh, in Nabatiyeh area, who noted that “we make these cookies at home all year round, yet the demand greatly increases during the days of Ashura, driving many bakeries to compete for preparation.” (The Daily Star, October 8, 2016)

 

The minister of tourism, Michel Pharaon, inaugurated yesterday the wine festival Vinifest 2016 at the Beirut Hippodrome which comes as part of ‘a field for all colors’ activity, in the presence of a number of political, social and economic figures. The festival (extending from October 5 to October 8) includes musical concerts and shows performed under the theme of Lebanese wine and European gastronomy tasting. On the occasion, Pharaon stressed the significance of the wine industry as an ambitious and flourishing sector generating jobs for hundreds of young people. He underlined the responsibility of wine producers who, while striving to put Lebanon on the world’s top producing countries. For her part, the event’s organizer, Nada Farah, pointed out that the festival presents an opportunity for Lebanon to make a statement of friendship, joy and hospitality. “This festivity truly celebrates the love of life and living that the Lebanese people boast and always seek to demonstrate, particularly with the level of progress achieved on the local scene and abroad,” Farah said. (Al Diyar, October 7, 2016)

 

The BLOM Bank indicator for economic activity of the Lebanese private sector companies (PMI) has posted 45.1 points last September with a slight rise against August figures (45 points) but has pointed to another serious decline in the overall economic conditions of the sector across the country. To note, PMI is a complex indicator calculated on the average of five basic components that determine the activities of companies as such: new orders at hand (30% of the indicator); level of production (25%); level of recruitment (20%), dates of delivery to suppliers (15%) and procurements (purchasing) stock (10%), (whereby 50.0 point is equivalent to the zero point). The BLOM Invest report maintained that the continual decline in the volume of new incoming businesses during September has been a key factor for the shrinking level of production in the private sector. This, besides the continuing negative levels of demand enthused by a precarious political conditions. The month of September has again witnessed a fall in the level of orders of new exports and a similar fall in the volume of purchases at private sector institutions, with an increase in the average prices of purchases for three months in a row. On the other hand, the report pointed to a slight and almost marginal increase in the rate of deflation as compared to August (50.4 points from 50.2 points in August). In terms of jobs, the rate of recruitment in the private sector has dropped for the 7th consecutive month, with companies reducing the number of their personnel due to a weak transaction activity. Subsequently, the indicator recorded 49.7 points from 49.5 points in August. Meanwhile, data has indicated a minor increase in the average rates of salaries/wages during September, for the third time in the past four months. (Al Akhbar, Al Hayat, October 6, 2016(