The Syrian prime minister Imad Khamis issued yesterday a decision to cut down transit tariffs on Lebanese trucks entering Syrian territory. This follows a meeting with Lebanese agriculture minister, Hassan Lakis, which discussed cooperation between the neighboring states in agriculture, commerce, investment and reconstruction matters. Khamis underlined the importance of expanding agricultural coordination to cover various areas and the revision of previous agreements. In addition to the signing of new arrangements and consolidating collaboration in the transit transport and the marketing of agricultural products, and the facilitation of passage of products via border crossings. Lakis, who also attended the meeting of the joint agricultural committee, pointed out that his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad Qaderi, was responsive and it was agreed to develop relations in the interest of both countries and in the interest of farmers, traders and national economy. Meanwhile, Lebanese parliamentary tourism and agriculture committee convened yesterday under MP Ayub Hmayyid to study the draft bill submitted by MP George Okeis aimed to enforce stricter procedures to curb smuggling activity and intensify punitive measures and fines to protect the Lebanese farmer and producer. Noting, that said committee has sent invitations to the finance ministry and the General Customs but who did not attend the meeting. On the other hand, the ministry of industry issued yesterday a circular suspending production in the dairy factory Jano in the West Beqaa town of Ghaza, pending the release of a license at the industry department and improving production standards according to food safety specifications. (Al Diyar, April 10, 2019)