Despite the challenges posed by the conflict, Lebanon’s agricultural sector returned to growth in 2024, recording total revenue of $2.18 billion, a 13 percent increase, according to the 72nd annual report of the Lebanese Center for Agricultural Research and Studies (CREAL) reviewed by L’Orient-Le Jour.  This marks a positive development for a sector that — except for a notable 60 percent surge in 2022, reaching $2.29 billion due to the impact of the war in Ukraine on cereal prices and post-crisis adaptation — had suffered three consecutive years of decline: -27 percent in 2020, -10 percent in 2021, and -15 percent in 2023.  The 2024 results reflect “an improvement in the overall situation, relatively mild weather, and the fact that some crops performed better in value terms compared to other years, despite the sector’s general exhaustion,” CREAL Director Riad Saadeh told L'Orient-Le jour.  Plant products — including fruits, vegetables, and cereals — grew 37.6 percent to $1.49 billion, while the value of animal production, including dairy, eggs, and meat products, fell 18.6 percent to $684.17 million in 2024.  Within plant production, the gains were driven by three main subcategories. First, fruits rose 18.1 percent to $482.3 million, continuing gains from 2023, led by strong revenue increases from apples (40.4 percent) and bananas (128.5 percent). Second, vegetables and flowers increased 21.7% to $316.55 million. Third, illicit crops surged 303.9% to $387.75 million.  In terms of agriculture, the report also highlighted a recovery in potato production after a difficult 2023, rising 25.9 percent to $126.7 million.  CREAL described Lebanon’s plant production as “balanced,” encompassing food security crops such as cereals, potatoes and onions; horticulture, with fruits as the main value-added product; legumes for year-round nutrients; industrial crops, led by olives; and tobacco, a strong economic crop.  However, the report noted challenges: The security and economic situation leads to deregulation with unpredictable annual fluctuations, exacerbated by marketing channels that impose their conditions on defenseless farmers; waste and the total absence of sales control due to a lack of mandatory standards throughout the chain; lack of information and coordination between regions; extreme social diversity of consumers, resulting in substantial price differences; and ultimately the lack of an effective and up-to-date regulatory framework for exports and imports of crops.  As for animal production, the only positive trend is the poultry industry, which supports the country's white meat food security. “It is the living proof that success is guaranteed when the complete value chain is controlled by the operation,” CREAL said.  The sector’s success stems from “wise and flexible management” and a “rapidly developing marketing structure covering the entire sector,” Saadeh said. “All those specializing in this industry have never stopped improving their knowledge and integrating modern technology into their production chains.” Poultry revenue grew 13.8 percent in 2024, reaching $429.25 million, making it the only animal production sector to show notable growth. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: L'Orient Today