The union meeting led by the head of the Bekaa farmers' federation Ibrahim Tarshishi (right) in Zahle, Dec. 14, 2024. (Credit: Photo sent by Ibrahim Tarshishi)
BEIRUT — The president of the Federation of Farmers' Unions in the Bekaa, Ibrahim Tarshishi, on Friday called for "an immediate end to the smuggling of Syrian and Turkish agricultural products into Lebanese markets." In a statement, he warned that if "these illegal activities were to persist, the union would be forced to go on strike, block roads and intercept smuggling trucks."
"More than 300 tons of Syrian potatoes enter Lebanon daily, saturating markets in Tripoli, Abdeh, Sin al-Fil, Kab Elias, and Saida," Tarshishi said. This influx, he explained, is severely undercutting farmers in the Bekaa, leaving them unable to sell their produce ahead of the official entry of Egyptian potatoes, scheduled for Feb. 1.
The problem extends beyond potatoes, Tarchichi noted, as smuggling is also impacting the poultry sector. "Smuggling is spreading to chicken meat and eggs, inflicting significant damage on this already vulnerable sector," he said.
According to Tarchichi, smugglers are bypassing legal border crossings to avoid customs fees and health inspections, using illegal routes instead. "Lebanese trucks enter Syria, load up with Syrian and Turkish agricultural products and bring them back into Lebanon through these unauthorized crossings, unchecked and unregulated," he added.
Tarchichi also criticized the quality of the smuggled goods, particularly Syrian potatoes, which he said, "Do not meet the standards of Lebanese products." He stressed that the issue cannot be resolved by customs authorities alone. "We need all Lebanese security services to cooperate to curb this phenomenon, which is devastating the agricultural sector, driving it toward collapse, and pushing farmers into bankruptcy," he said.
