Closure of Nasib border crossing a severe blow to Lebanese agricultural exports

The capture of the main crossing point on the Jordanian-Syrian borders by Al Qaeda insurgents has resulted in closing the single route for Lebanese exports to Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries. The recent development has inflicted heavy losses after the looting of some 150 Lebanese trucks and the subsequent announcement by the Jordanian Authorities of the shut down of the crossing. This new situation could deal a major blow to Lebanese exports which have to rely now on sea route that reportedly is more costly and will lead to delays ranging from 10 days to one month. Commenting on the new situation, Vice President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Ziad Bikdach, said: “The closure of Nasib crossing could lead to a collapse, by 50%, in the levels of industrial and agricultural exports.” “Nearly 50 loaded trucks used to cross the borders at that point every day,” he added, “but now this number is going to drop to half, at best.” President of the Association of Bekaa Farmers, Ibrahim Tarshishi appealed to Jordan to revise the closure decision. “Some 300,000 tons of Lebanese agricultural produce normally travel through this route yearly,” he complained. For his part, head of the Lebanese Farmers Association, Antoine Hwayek, pointed out that this incident coincided with the end of the export season for apples, bananas and citrus fruits, noting that potato exports stopped earlier. “Consequently, exports of these goods will affected by the closure of the crossing which will also impact the time needed between the peak harvest season and arrival of those goods to the destined markets,” he explained. Lebanese exporters and merchants who rely on this route voiced their concern and Beqaa farmers urged the Lebanese government to mediate with Jordan to resolve this emerging crisis. In a similar note, President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Fadi Gemayel, call on government to declare an agriculture emergency situation and to search for feasible alternative routes to the main Arab markets, particularly Gulf countries that normally make for more than 45% of the industrial exports. Meanwhile, reports indicated that armed elements that have kidnapped a number of Lebanese truck-drivers are now demanding ransom to release them. (Al Akhbar, As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, 4 April 2015)