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Beekeeping has grown to become one of the large sector in agriculture and a good contributor to the economy, employing some seven thousand beekeepers across Lebanon, mainly in the South. Workers in the industry, especially in the southern areas, have expressed optimism in a thriving honey season owing to high rainfall rates this year, contrary to last year’s draught which destroyed a large number of beehives. Muhammad Sha3aito who has worked in this field for almost two decades said that beekeeping is developing significantly with a growing number of beekeepers using modern technologies and regularly being training by local and international organizations. Similarly, Vice President of the Syndicate of Beekeepers in the South, Mohammad Haidar Hassan, indicated that drugs to control honey bee diseases and pest provided by the Ministry of Agriculture should become accessible to all beekeepers not only those included in the 2010 survey. He added that the number of beekeepers has grown considerably since 2010. “Not delivering the required drugs to the entire community of beekeepers will not ensure proper protection from diseases and pests.” Hassan revealed that Lebanon hosts more than 360 thousand beehives that produce hundreds of tons of honey per season, which are mostly consumed domestically. In this respect, he warned against unlawful completion and called for a halt to illegal imports. (As Safir, 7 April 2015)

The hopes of greater profits by beet growers in Akkar who replaced potato and wheat with beet were frustrated. Absence of government control policies has prevented farmers from selling their produce which is relatively low-cost and easy to grow. Moreover, farmers of Akkar complained once more against the current sluggish markets resulting form fierce foreign competition, namely from Syrian imports. The current situation has forced farmers to cut their prices to as low as LBP 500 per one kilo in order to get ride of their production. One farmer, Abdel Rahman Darwish lamenting the situation, said: “The production cost in Lebanon is relatively high compared to other countries because the Lebanese farmer has to work single-handedly at all levels, having to face alone forces of nature and speculation. Whereas, his peer in neighboring countries, is able to compete in Lebanon’s domestic market because of his government’s support.” (As Safir, 4 April 2015)

(Refer to: Food safety in pickles production and warning to unlicensed factories)

-    Grant a one month ultimatum for unlicensed factories to file their registration papers
-    Compile data on required standards by Ministry of Industry
-    Conduct inspections of factories to be carried out jointly by Ministries of industry, Agriculture and Health
-    Set up a follow-up committee comprising representatives of Ministry of Industry and owners of industrial institutions to prepare regular reports on barrels used in packaging
-    Agreement between pickles producers and manufacturers of packaging containers on reasonable prices and the required quantities and in accordance with agreed quality standards
-    After inspection, barrel containers that do not comply with standards of packaging will be destroyed together with their contents; inspection to be conducted on regular basis
-    Ban the use of recycled containers
-    Draft the right decisions for serial process from the factory to the consumer
-    Communicate to industrialists the ISO mark NL282:2015 identifying safety requirements of plastic material for packaging food products and ensure compliance with these requirements as soon as they are published
-    Authorise the exposure of pickles filled barrel containers to the sun provided they are non-white in color
-    Disseminate a study prepared by USAID on health requirements for the production of pickles
-    Pull out “Food Grade” containers used for packaging of pickles five years after its manufacturing
-    Prepare the Institute for Industrial Research to conduct free laboratory tests on containers as mandated by the Ministry of Industry
-    Provide the Ministry of Industry with the list of licensed and unlicensed factories compiled by health inspectors
-    Comply with Lebanese standard qualifications No. NL2111 for pickles, all other standards regulating food additives, and the parameters for using insecticides
-    Observe mandatory health standards in manufacturing

(Al Diyar, 7 April 2015)
 

The Minister of Industry Hussein Haj Hassan reassured the agriculture and industry sectors that the seaways constitute an available alternative route for Lebanese exports. Speaking to Al Diyar daily, Haj Hassan pointed out that the air and sea freight has been in use by exporters in Lebanon since 2011, but traders prefer the inexpensive and fast land transport. In this respect, chief of the International Chamber of Shipping in Beirut, Elie Zakhur, concurred with the Minister’s statement while saying: “The only real solution resides in the Ro-Ro ships that carry trucks loaded with local agricultural and industrial produce to those Egyptian ports located on the Mediterranean, and then moved overland to another Egyptian port on the Red Sea where they will be re-shipped on container vessels to the ports of Dabba or Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and then proceed by road to their final destination in Gulf countries.” Likewise, Chief of the Lebanese Shipping Agents Syndicate, Hassan Jarudi, told the newspaper that the alternative is through shipping produce in air-cooled carriers to Arab markets by sea. Contrary to Zakhur, Jarudi stated that “the Ro-Ro proposal is not feasible and has only worked out for short and cost effective trips from the port of Tripoli in North Lebanon to Mersin in Turkey.” However, he added, that a ferry freight to Bur Said or Jeddah harbors costs at least USD 11 thousand including USD 7 thousand for the cost of transport of the truck and driver from Beirut and an additional USD 3 thousand the cost of rent of one truck and related paperwork. He recommended relying on air freight through new arrangements with aviation companies that will conduct full flights aboard large aircrafts. “A number of airlines have made generous offers, such as USD 0.5 per one kg of exported items to GCC countries,” he said.

(Al Diyar, 7 April 2015)

Is the seaway the export alternatives to Syrian crossings?

The Minister of Industry Hussein Haj Hassan reassured the agriculture and industry sectors that the seaways constitute an available alternative route for Lebanese exports. Speaking to Al Diyar daily, Haj Hassan pointed out that the air and sea freight has been in use by exporters in Lebanon since 2011, but traders prefer the inexpensive and fast land transport. In this respect, chief of the International Chamber of Shipping in Beirut, Elie Zakhur, concurred with the Minister’s statement while saying: “The only real solution resides in the Ro-Ro ships that carry trucks loaded with local agricultural and industrial produce to those Egyptian ports located on the Mediterranean, and then moved overland to another Egyptian port on the Red Sea where they will be re-shipped on container vessels to the ports of Dabba or Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and then proceed by road to their final destination in Gulf countries.” Likewise, Chief of the Lebanese Shipping Agents Syndicate, Hassan Jarudi, told the newspaper that the alternative is through shipping produce in air-cooled carriers to Arab markets by sea. Contrary to Zakhur, Jarudi stated that “the Ro-Ro proposal is not feasible and has only worked out for short and cost effective trips from the port of Tripoli in North Lebanon to Mersin in Turkey.” However, he added, that a ferry freight to Bur Said or Jeddah harbors costs at least USD 11 thousand including USD 7 thousand for the cost of transport of the truck and driver from Beirut and an additional USD 3 thousand the cost of rent of one truck and related paperwork. He recommended relying on air freight through new arrangements with aviation companies that will conduct full flights aboard large aircrafts. “A number of airlines have made generous offers, such as USD 0.5 per one kg of exported items to GCC countries,” he said. (Al Diyar, 7 April 2015)

The Minister of Industry, Hussein Haj Hassan, held an extensive meeting at the Ministry with owners of pickles factories and plastic barrel plants in the presence of General Director of the Lebanese Standards Institution, Libnor, Engineer Lina Dirgham, as well as representatives of the Ministries of Industry, Agriculture and Health. The meeting was devoted to the issue of food safety in the production of pickles especially in terms of the usage toxic packaging and resulted in several measurements and discussions. Following the meeting, Minister Haj Hassan said that the issue of pickles will be followed up by the three ministries through joint supervision of factories. Concerning the unlicensed factories, Haj Hassan gave the owners a one month ultimatum to file their registration papers at the Ministry of Industry. For his part, Minister of Faour indicated that inspection of 132 plants operating plants revealed that only 25 of them were legal.

(Refer to: List of decisions on food safety in the production of pickles)

(Al Diyar, An Nahar, 7 April 2015)

The Lebanon Mountain Trail Association kicked off its seventh consecutive annual trek-walk during a special event held in Andeqt under the patronage of Tourism Minister Michel Faroun. The event was organized in cooperation with Andeqt municipality and was attended by MPs Hadi Hobeysh, Nidal Tohme and a number of public figures and activists in the field. Speaking at the launching, Faroun pointed out that trekking is not just an environmental action, but it also helps promote a responsible economic and tourism momentum that will boost the development of the targeted region. “Eco-tourism can be developed so as to constitute 20% of the tourism sector and can play a key role in reviving rural areas while creating new jobs,” he explained. The long journey which involves 170 hikers from 13 different countries will start from the village of Andeqt in the North, moving to Qobayyat where the trekking group will spend the night before heading the next day to the town of Tashih while passing through many villages on the way to Hasbaya-Marje3yoon in the South. The trekkers will hike the entire 470 km-distance through the month of April while spending a total of 800 night units at 40 guesthouses and pumping some USD 50 thousand into the local communities. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, 7 April 2015)

Hasbaya area boasts some 25 Saj bread bakeries each one employing between 5 to 12 women according to a work schedule that starts in early morning hours until noon time at a daily wage rate of LBP 25-35 thousand. Speaking to Al Diyar newspaper, one woman baker explained that each flour bag produces 40 to 50 packs of bread, containing 10 loaves per pack and sold at LBP 5,000 per one pack. In addition to the 25 Saj bakeries operating in this area, there are a number of housewives who operate form home and who have chosen to use their skill as a source of livelihood. Um Hussein who is one of them noted that this household activity provided her with a good source of subsistence to her family. (Al Diyar, 4 April 2015)

L’Orient Le Jour published on April 2 an interview with the representatives of German Agency for International Cooperation in Morocco, Heidi Belud and CEO of the Association for the Support of Self-Development in Tunisia, Asmaa Muhamadi Bin Mabrouk on the occasion of the fourth week of the Conference on Forests and Climate Change. The event which was held in Barcelona between March 17th and 20th was aimed at designing policies and plans for the conservation of forests in Mediterranean countries. Belud highlighted the gender gap which is present in the forestry sector while indicating that that effort should focus on two tracks. The first, she explained, is to enhance the participation of women in the management of the sector, and second, is to give greater attention to rural women who depend on forest life, while identifying their needs and mobilizing their efforts in selected local projects that can be of benefit to them. For her part, Bin Mabrouk shared the successful experience of her Association in promoting the participation of women in decision making and not only in project implementation. (L’Orient Le Jour, 2 April 2015)

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)

The Order of Nurses in Lebanon appealed to the local media for caution in communicating information that can undermine the profession. In a statement distributed to media channels in Lebanon, the Order demanded a vigilant researching of facts before making them public, noting that the final legal say on any wrongdoing reside entirely with the judiciary and concerned institutions. The order also reiterated its commitment to its arbitration role in resolving conflicts with nursing professionals and workers, as well as its determination to take the proper disciplinary and administrative action against any violator of the ethical values of the profession. The statement of the Order comes in the wake of several media reports criticizing the performance of some hospital nurses. (Al Mustaqbal, 4 April 2015)