Banana export crisis ends while that of citrus crisis looms

The Gathering of Southern Farmers announced that it has been informed by the Syrian Economy Ministry yesterday of issuance of permits for a number of Syrian importers to allow, as of this morning, entry into neighboring country through Masnaa crossing, of trucks loaded with Lebanese bananas. Citing Syrian officials, the Gathering’s deputy head, Rida Fadel, disclosed that borders will stay open until the end of the season. Al Akhbar newspaper quoted reliable sources as saying that the new arrangement was not concocted through the Lebanese agriculture ministry, but was concluded through a call by Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah to Syrian President Bashar Assad asking his support to banana growers, particularly that “the Syrian market can accommodate half the Lebanese production,” according to Nasrallah. Efforts, Al Akhbar wrote, were carried on by PS Nabih Berri leading to the resumption of import activity in line with the 2011 trade exchange agreement which mandated the lifting of customs duties on both sides of the deal. Fadel revealed that nearly 15% of the remaining produce will be exported by sea to Jordan. On a related subject, Al Akhbar who confirmed on Tuesday the ‘citrus for banana’ Syrian decision taken early this month, also underscored the opposition of Lebanese agriculture bodies who qualified it as a ‘cheek’ decision, because the domestic market, they argued, is flooded with local citrus products. In this respect, Al Akhbar warned that “while the banana dilemma has been resolved, a new and worse crisis of marketing citrus is bound to follow.” This was further confirmed by Antoine Howayek, president of the Lebanese Farmers’ Association, who recalled that Lebanese citrus goods were always destined to the Arab Gulf markets passing through Syria-Jordan or Syria-Iraq. But with the outbreak of the Syria war, shipment costs increased, amidst fierce competition from Egypt, Syria and the Mediterranean basin, Howayek lamented.(Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, November 15, 17, 18, 2016)

 

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