Lebanese government resumes purchasing wheat from local producers

During Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, the caretaker government of Najib Mikati included two key agenda items: the long-awaited promotion of a cohort of military officers and the UNIFIL mandate. Additionally, the government took the opportunity to address another long-overlooked matter arising from the 2019 crisis: the reinstatement of financial compensation for local wheat and barley producers. In practical terms, the state purchases locally produced soft wheat (utilized for bread flour), durum wheat (used in pasta and bulgur production), and barley (primarily for animal feed) at a predetermined price. The objective of this initiative is to provide support to the local industry and ensure a portion of Lebanon’s requirements are met, as highlighted by caretaker Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan, in an interview with L’Orient-Le Jour. “The government plans to repurchase approximately 60,000 tons of grain in 2023, including soft wheat, durum wheat and barley,” Hassan said. “It is ...