Tobacco farmers in Beqaa call for further support to the sector and higher pricing for their harvest

During a meeting held last week to discuss the distribution of this year’s tobacco harvest, the Executive Council of the Syndicate of Tobacco Growers in Lebanon reiterated the importance of continued government support to tobacco farming since it is a vital agricultural sector that largely contributes to social stability in the area.
The Council also called for raising the prices that farmers receive for their harvest because of increasing high cost of living, the dire general economic situation and the rise in production cost.  Two other major demands also formulated by the Council were the inclusion of tobacco farmers in the National Social Security Fund and to raising of the production ceiling from 300 to 400 kilograms per growing license so as to improve the social and living conditions of tobacco farmers.
Source: Al-Nahar 29 January 2014