No change in the unit price of milk and new Ministerial measures to control the sector

The Minister of Industry, Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan, presided a joint meeting yesterday with representatives of the milk producing industry and the dairy processing industry.  The meeting aimed at discussing issues of concern to the sector especially following the refusal of milk producers to decrease their unit price of milk delivery as requested by dairy producers.  Hajj Hassan emphasized during the meeting, the high quality of Lebanese milk and added that participants in the meeting agreed that the Ministry of Economy should prepare data on the price trends of Labneh, cheeses and other dairy products in 2014, while the Ministry of Agriculture prepares a study on the production cost of milk.  He also noted that the current price of milk will remain unchanged until the next meeting of this committee set on 24 November and whilst awaiting the results of studies in order to make an informed decision.
Hajj Hassan furthermore declared that in addition to the above, a new measure will soon be adopted to ensure that all selling points on Lebanon will not offer milk or dairy products from sources that are not licensed by the Ministry of Industry and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture via a trademark.  The purpose, he explained, is to withhold further dumping of non-licensed products on the local market.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Mustaqbal 28 October 2014