In its issue of today, Al Muthstaqbal newspaper shed light on the local tomato paste produced by the southern women of Arnoun and Kfartibnit in Nabatiyeh up to Kfar Roumman in Iqlima al Toffah. These women, Al Mustaqbal wrote, are busy these days preparing the traditional home-made and clean tomato paste or tomato juice, while the surplus is being sold locally and sometimes reaching as far as the capital, Beirut. Al Mustaqbal spoke to a number of women involved in preparation of mouneh items. One of these women, Samira Yaghi, said over 60 women produce tomato paste from the locally grown crops, noting that the extracted juice is stored for domestic consumption. The excess is sold at LBP 12,000 per one Kg to the agricultural cooperative association which takes care of its marketing at LBP 18 thousand. To recall, tomato paste is ultimately prepared from red ripe tomatoes cultivated lavishly in the villages and towns of Zawtar and Yuhmor up to Jbaa. Every 10 Kgs of the tomato fruit makes 1 kg of paste sold in the southern marketplace at between LBP 15,000 to 20,000, while the reported price of one kilo of tomatoes stands at LBP 500 to 700. (Al Mustaqbal, July 31, 2017)