Farmers welcome export arrangement with Syria, Jordan

The president of the Bekaa Farmers Association, Ibrahim Tarshishi welcomed the two export-related agreements concluded with the agriculture ministries in Syria and Jordan, hoping the steps be continued with remaining Arab countries. Tarshishi who was part of the agriculture ministry delegation to Jordan this week disclosed that the agreement facilitated the export of the Lebanese potato to Jordan in the period between October 1 and November 30, apples from November 15 to April 15, onions as of the beginning of November until 1/1/2018 and the bananas all year round. The arrangement with Jordan, Tarshishi explained, provided for Lebanon’s import of Jordanian watermelon from the first of April to May 25, vegetables from December 1st to March 30 and dates around the year. It also allowed the export through the newly-established Tarabil crossing in Jordan to Iraq of Lebanese agricultural products arriving via sea. On last week’s settlement between Lebanon and Syria, Tarshishi revealed that the Syrian government gave way to the purchase of 50 thousand tons of made-in-Lebanon banana as of October 10, pointing to direct transactions between the Syrian agriculture ministry and Lebanese farmers. The agreement also required Syria to buy the Lebanese potato as of December 15 as needed, as said Tarshishi. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, September 29, 2017)

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