Positive results for maritime export bridge!

Despite an earlier gloomy report by the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) on the disappointing outcomes of the first year of the sea bridge in support of Lebanese exports, (http://bit.ly/2k282L1), Al Mustaqbal newspaper published new data covering the period from 17/9/2015 to 31/3/2017 which showed that the program has achieved positive outcomes as compared to its set objectives. The program, according to the report, has ensured the flow of Lebanese production to traditional regional markets, notably, the Arab Gulf and Jordan, and has sustained the distinctive presence of made-in-Lebanon goods. To be noted, that since its launch, the above program has faced criticism from concerned parties, the last from the president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association (LIA), Ziad Bekdache, who decried the waning activity of land transported exports. Bekdache criticized the high cost of exporting via the maritime bridge which, he said, is far from competitive (c.f: http://bit.ly/2to0ypg). Back to the data cited in Al Mustaqbal, it indicated that during the first year and 7 months of the implementation of the program, overall exports reached 103853 tons between agricultural products (92557 tons) and industrial goods (2621 tons), while noting that Saudi Arabia, came first among the countries of destination as well as the size of products exported, (nearly 58101 tons, accounting for 55.94% of the total sea program exports.) The numbers showed vegetables and fruits made nearly 92.5% of the total Lebanese agricultural exports to the Gulf states and Jordan, whereas agro-food goods represented close to 8.6% and the industrial exports 5% of the overall size of exports, were only 2621 tons were exported during the latest stage of the sea bridge period. The number of exporters aligned with the program were 241 exporters. (Al Mustaqbal, July 5, 2017) For more information, please visit the following link: http://almustaqbal.com/v4/article.aspx?Type=NP&ArticleID=742734

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