One USD million per day of Lebanese losses because of border closure

Daily life at the Masnaa crossing is quasi frozen as a result of the closure of the Syrian-Jordanian borders.  Custom controls appear to be on a endless holiday and do not process more that 1 to 4 trucks per day.  This situation has resulted in unprecedented economic negative fallbacks according to custom processing offices who noted that it has particularly affected the agricultural sector.  Indeed, owners of citrus orchards cannot harvest their yields and stock them in refrigerators.  Cumquat, almond and banana growers cannot find buyers amongst exporters and packaging centers have also had to close shop.  These non-exported surpluses resulted in a 20% drop in prices thus further increasing the losses of the agricultural sector.

Most exporter concur that for the last 20 days, the number of convoys did not exceed 20 compared to100 convoys a day before the crisis. Losses in agricultural and industrial exports are estimated at one USD million daily at least aside from losses in returns from customs fees which, for their part which already are estimated at tens of USD millions. Finally, and with regards to alternative solutions under discussion, maritime exports are not looked at favorably by exporters who have been used to land exports since they are seen as undermining the competitiveness of the Lebanese agricultural sector. (Please refer to previous site news on this subject)

(Source: L’Orient le Jour 24 April 2015)