Libnor launches the Lebanese Trademark for Lebanese food products and the Minister of Industry warns against falling in a deficit in the balance of trade

LIBNOR launched the Lebanese food trademark during an event organised under the auspices of the Minister of Industry, Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan and with the participation of Minister of Environment, Mohammad Mashnook, MP Atef Majdalani, Libnor director Habib Ghreizi, IDAL director Nabil Itani, Ministry of Industry GM Dani Geadoun, Libnor GM Lina Dergham, and Association of Lebanese Industrialists vice president Georges Nasraoui.
In his speech, Hajj Hassan noted that despite the fact that the industrial sector occupies some 11% of the gross national product, yet Lebanon imports a total of USD 19 billion of which USD 2 to 3 billion are food import against food exports not exceeding USD 500 million.  He warned of further deterioration in the balance of trade and insisted that there is no solution for a balanced foreign trade unless the government adopts protection measures of local goods based on standards of quality.  He added that protection measure are key to increasing production capacity of the food industry and for increasing its competitiveness, safeguarding the health of consumers, ensuring food safety and strengthening consumers' trust in local products. The Minister concluded by noting that most industries operating in the food sector are able to obtain trademarks because they already have adopted the required quality standards.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir 30 May 2014