Slower high growth rates for agricultural production in Lebanon during 2014

Figures released by the Lebanese Center for Agricultural Research and Studies have shown that the overall agricultural production in Lebanon has reached USD 2.15 billion in 2014, with crops production making nearly 57.8% of the total, while animal production representing 42%. According to the same data, the overall agricultural production has increased by 7.1% during 2014 compared to 9.9% in 2013, 4.8% in 2012 and 10.4% in 2011; thus agricultural production grew by a high annual average rate of 8% between 2010 and 2014. Total crop production recorded in 2014 a growth rate of only 1.5%, increasing to USD 1.24 billion compared to a 8.8% in 2013, 5.2% in 2012 and 15.4% in 2011, or by an average of 7.6% for the period of 2010 and 2014. In parallel, total animal production rose in 2014 by 15.9% to USD increasing to USD 908.6 million in compared to a growth rate of 11.5% recorded in 2013, 4% in 2012 and 3.3% in 2011. (An Nahar, L’Orient Le Jour, November 27, 2015)