After his meeting with President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace, Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani announced that “the Ministry is working to take proactive measures to ensure the continuity of agricultural production and secure markets, in light of the current circumstances.”
Hani stated, “Work is underway to move farms to safer areas, in cooperation with the Lebanese Army, especially cow farms in the Bekaa, where alternative locations are being identified to ensure continuity of production.”
He stressed that “the Ministry supports farmers within the available capabilities, in coordination with international organizations and United Nations organizations.”
Regarding securing markets, he pointed out “taking facilities at border crossings to speed up the entry of agricultural crops from neighboring countries, especially from Syria and Jordan,” pointing out that “laboratories are working around the clock to facilitate the entry of products and ensure their safety.”
Hani stressed that “the import movement is proceeding normally, calling on citizens not to worry about the availability of food supplies,” stressing that “the Ministry is monitoring daily the availability of products in markets throughout Lebanese territory.”
He added, “Local production will witness a noticeable improvement with the onset of spring, as greenhouses have begun to gradually increase their production,” expressing his “hope to reach self-sufficiency in a number of crops in the near future.”
On the issue of prices, he revealed “open meetings with the Ministry of Economy and Trade, with the aim of controlling prices and maintaining acceptable profit margins,” calling for “cooperation and solidarity at this sensitive stage, and not leaving prices to the logic of supply and demand only.”
Regarding the impact of the Israeli attacks and the use of toxic materials, Hani explained that the Ministry had previously conducted tests that included more than a thousand samples of soil and crops, and the results showed that most of the lands were still suitable for agriculture, with limited percentages of heavy metals recorded in some samples.
He pointed out that “a detailed report will be issued soon on these results,” warning at the same time of “the dangers of repeated use of these materials, as they may cause accumulations that affect the soil in the long term.”
Hani concluded his speech by noting, “launching a field survey that includes farmers in the affected areas, to determine their needs and locations, within the framework of the response plan developed by the Ministry to keep pace with the repercussions of the stage.”
