Lebanese farmers demand action after smuggled Syrian onions flood market

Ibrahim Tarshishy, head of the Bekaa Farmers Association, at a farm in Rayak, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, May 10, 2021. (Reuters)
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Updated 08 August 2023
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Lebanese farmers demand action after smuggled Syrian onions flood market

  • Lebanon’s agricultural sector is under severe strain, and farmers are struggling to survive amid an economic crisis
  • Despite the Lebanese economy’s need for agriculture, farmers say the sector is neglected by the state

BEIRUT: Lebanese farmers have raised concerns over dumping after huge quantities of smuggled Syrian onions appeared on the Lebanese market at prices lower than local offerings.

The farmers are demanding that Lebanese customs authorities pursue the smugglers.

Ibrahim Tarshishi, head of the Bekaa Farmers Association, told Arab News: “The Lebanese customs cooperated with us and began confiscating the smuggled goods, but the matter will not stop. Soon, Syrian potato products will be smuggled.

“The regions of Tripoli and Akkar in northern Lebanon live on vegetables and fruits smuggled from Syria, and no one pursues the smugglers. However, when it comes to flooding the Lebanese market with smuggled Syrian goods, the matter cannot be tolerated.”

Lebanon’s agricultural sector is under severe strain, and farmers are struggling to survive amid an economic crisis exacerbated by the collapse of the national currency and a doubling of the cost of production and farm tools since 2019. Farmers are also suffering the effects of a ban on exports to Arab markets that was enacted following a diplomatic crisis with Gulf states.

“There are 200 tons of onions a day which are pumped into the Lebanese market at cheap prices,” Tarshishi said. “Vegetable wholesalers get smuggled onions delivered. This is not permissible in our markets, especially since the onion season production is not exported to any country. It is sold where it is produced because countries have become self-sufficient in this product. We have 25,000 tons of onions to sell in Lebanon until April 1. We will not let farmers cry for their hard work, loss and indifference of state officials.”

The Lebanese agricultural sector represents 7 percent of gross domestic product and is the third largest sector after services and industry. Agriculture provides an income for about 15 percent of the population, including 250,000 families.

About 60 percent of Lebanon’s land is arable, but only 20 percent is cultivated. There are large areas of agricultural land on which houses and buildings are built, especially in the fertile Bekaa Valley.

Despite the Lebanese economy’s need for agriculture, farmers say the sector is neglected by the state, with citizens suffering from high prices of vegetables and fruits as a result.

Even before 2019, Lebanese farmers complained of an inability to pay costs, although the state provided them with soft loans and subsidized exports, as well as opened markets, Tarshishi said. Saudi Arabia was also open to Lebanese imports.

But following this year’s harvest, the state is absent, loans are unavailable, markets are closed, farmers’ funds are frozen and smuggling crossings are open, he added.

It is estimated that more than 50 percent of farmers in Lebanon have given up investing in the agricultural sector due to a lack of liquidity.

Farmers were previously encouraged to grow soft wheat, which is used to make Arabic bread. The state pledged to buy the wheat from farmers instead of importing it with hard currency. But farmers say that that call was a “big lie.”

Tarshishi said: “There are about 30,000 tons of soft wheat stacked in farmers’ warehouses, with a value of more than $20 million. Farmers do not know how to sell this production.

“Lebanese mills refused to buy national wheat because they prefer to buy state-subsidized wheat through the World Bank because the price per kilo is 3,000 Lebanese pounds ($0.20), while the price per kilo of national wheat is 30,000 Lebanese pounds ($2).

“Mills preferred cheaper wheat while the state transferred dollars to foreign countries to buy wheat. It is a policy with the utmost irresponsibility.”

Farmers in the Bekaa Valley are turning to alternative crops, Tarshishi said.

“Because of smuggling and neglect, we started thinking outside of tradition. We started growing dozens of varieties of grapes in large quantities to sell them in traditional and non-traditional markets,” he added.

“We now have markets in Africa, Australia, Brazil and the Near East. As for potatoes, we also moved toward the type that can be frozen to make chips and French fries, and production exceeded 60,000 tons.”

In southern Lebanon, according to Tarshishi, “farmers uprooted the citrus trees that the southern coast of Lebanon is famous for and turned to banana cultivation. However, they faced difficulty this year in selling the production.”

Markets are also selling lychee fruits farmed in Lebanon after the success of avocado and kiwi cultivation. There are also attempts to cultivate Iranian saffron, sage and thyme.

Saffron cultivation is widespread in Iran, and a number of Lebanese farmers have begun to cultivate the spice in high mountainous areas such as Jabal Al-Rihan and Marjayoun.

“It is not an alternative agriculture, but rather an additional one,” said Qassim Hassan, an agricultural engineer. “There is a trend by a generation of new farmers for non-traditional, economically feasible agriculture.”

It takes four years to start producing saffron, which can fetch up to $8,000 per kilo.

Another alternative crop, sage, is used in the manufacture of medicines and medical products. Farmers export sage to Jordan and the US. Elham Mohammed Lubani, who works in agriculture with her husband Hosni Jaber, said: “Picking the sage plant from the banks of the Litani River and Beaufort Castle is popular. But this year the production was less because of the intense heat wave.

“This year, we collected about 180 kilos of this plant, and a merchant comes to the region, collects the crop, and then ships it to Jordan and other countries.”

The rain-fed sage is scattered in the valleys near the Litani River, but the plant is dwindling in quantity because of harvesting errors.

Other farmers have turned to planting thyme. Hassan said: “Farmers have now turned to blackberry cultivation, and it seems to be a successful experience. Others are cultivating new types of mushrooms. Most of these farmers are of the new generation; university graduates and their parents work in agriculture. Civil associations support them in their projects.”


Trump says had advance notice of Israeli strikes on Iran: Fox News

Updated 13 June 2025
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Trump says had advance notice of Israeli strikes on Iran: Fox News

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Thursday that the United States was “not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region”

Washington: US President Donald Trump told Fox News he was aware Israel was going to conduct strikes on Iran before it happened, and stressed that Tehran “cannot have a nuclear bomb,” according to the US broadcaster.

His comments to Fox came after Israel pounded Iran in a series of air raids on Friday, striking 100 targets including nuclear and military sites.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation took aim at the atomic facility in Natanz, while Iranian media said the country’s Revolutionary Guards leader Hossein Salami and armed forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri were killed.

Trump told Fox News that he was made aware of Israel’s operation before it happened.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see,” Trump said, according to Fox News.

Fox News also reported that “Trump noted the US is ready to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates.”

It added that Trump’s administration reached out to at least one key Middle Eastern ally to acknowledge that the strike was going to happen, but reiterated that the US was not involved.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Thursday that the United States was “not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

“Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”

Trump will be attending a National Security Council meeting Friday morning.


Jordan closes airspace, says it won’t be battleground for any conflict

Updated 13 June 2025
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Jordan closes airspace, says it won’t be battleground for any conflict

DUBAI: Jordan has not and will not allow any violation of its airspace, nor will it be a battleground for any conflict, a senior minister said in a statement on Friday.

“Jordan’s national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not allow any attempt to threaten its security and the safety of its citizens,” Mohammad Momani, Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesperson added.

Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft and air defense systems intercepted a number of missiles and drones that entered Jordanian airspace Friday morning, a report from state news agency Petra stated.

The interception operation came in response to military assessments that missiles and drones were bound to fall into Jordanian territory, including populated areas, which could cause casualties, Petra added.

Momani also urged the international community to exercise pressure in order to restore calm and prevent further escalation in the region.

Jordan’s aviation authority closed the country’s airspace and grounded all flights after Israel attacked Iran.

“The Kingdom’s airspace is temporarily closed, and air traffic suspended for all aircraft – incoming, outgoing and in transit, as a precaution against any risks resulting from the regional escalation,” the authority said in a statement.

The country’s armed forces were also placed on high alert in response to growing regional tensions, a military source said.

The General Command was closely monitoring developments in the region and that the armed forces were at the highest levels of operational and logistical readiness to respond any potential emergencies, the Petra report noted.


After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed

Updated 13 June 2025
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After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed

  • Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, state media reported
  • Six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three nearly missed since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions

SEOUL: Airlines cleared out of the airspace over Israel, Iran and Iraq early on Friday after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, Flightradar24 data showed, with carriers scrambling to divert and cancel flights to keep passengers and crew safe.

Proliferating conflict zones around the world are becoming an increasing burden on airline operations and profitability, and more of a safety concern.

Six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three nearly missed since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions.

Israel on Friday said it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defense units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.

Israeli flag carrier El Al Airlines said it had suspended flights to and from Israel.

Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, state media reported.

Jordan also closed its airspace to all flights.

Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport said on its social media account that flight disruptions were expected and passengers were ‘advised to check with their airline for the latest status of their flights before travelling to the airport.’

Dubai’s Emirates Airline cancelled its Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran flights on Friday. Qatar Airways also cancelled flights to and from Iraq and Iran.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi also cancelled a number of flights on Friday that were scheduled to fly over areas affected by regional tensions in the Middle East.

As reports of strikes on Iran emerged, a number of commercial flights by airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India were flying over Iran.

Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iraq early on Friday closed its airspace and suspended all traffic at its airports, Iraqi state media reported.

Eastern Iraq near the border with Iran contains one of the world’s busiest air corridors, with dozens of flights crossing between Europe and the Gulf, many on routes from Asia to Europe, at any one moment.

Flights steadily diverted over Central Asia or Saudi Arabia, flight tracking data showed.

“The situation is still emerging — operators should use a high degree of caution in the region at this time,” according to Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information.

Several flights due to land in Dubai were diverted early on Friday. An Emirates flight from Manchester to Dubai was diverted to Istanbul and a flydubai flight from Belgrade diverted to Yerevan, Armenia.

Budget carrier flydubai said it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel and a number of other flights had been canceled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East since October 2023 led to commercial aviation sharing the skies with short-notice barrages of drones and missiles across major flight paths – some of which were reportedly close enough to be seen by pilots and passengers.

Last year, planes were shot down by weaponry in Kazakhstan and in Sudan. These incidents followed the high-profile downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 and of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 en route from Tehran in 2020.


Iran’s Khamenei warns Israel faces ‘bitter and painful fate’

Updated 13 June 2025
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Iran’s Khamenei warns Israel faces ‘bitter and painful fate’

  • Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami was killed in the Israeli military operation

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face “severe punishment” over its attack on the country.

Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It also confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the attack.

Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to commit a crime against our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,” Khamenei said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami was killed in the Israeli military operation. He was a veteran officer close to the supreme leader and known for his tirades against Israel and its US ally.

“If you make the slightest mistake, we will open the gates of hell for you,” the white-bearded general warned Tehran’s arch foes during a tour of an underground missile base in January.

An Israeli military official said that the Israeli Air Force targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them.

Israel for years has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it does not want – though officials there have repeatedly warned it could.


UN nuclear watchdog says ‘closely monitoring’ situation after Israel strikes Iran

Updated 13 June 2025
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UN nuclear watchdog says ‘closely monitoring’ situation after Israel strikes Iran

VIENNA: The UN nuclear watchdog confirmed Friday that Israeli strikes were targeting an Iranian uranium enrichment site, saying it was “closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation.”
“The IAEA is closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran. Agency can confirm Natanz site among targets,” International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said in a post on the agency’s X feed, as the IAEA’s board of governors meets this week in Vienna.
“The agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country,” he added.