Call to Government for Urgent Action to Curb Chaos!

President of the National Union of Lebanese Farmers, Ibrahim al-Tarshishi, sounded the alarm over the escalating consequences of rising fuel prices on the agricultural sector, warning that fuel costs have now surpassed the ability of many farmers to bear the burdens of production and transportation.

Al-Tarshishi emphasized that the "fuel catastrophe" in Lebanon has turned hundreds of dunams of farmland into pastures for livestock, as farmers can no longer afford transporting their harvests to agricultural markets in Beirut and other regions.

He explained that fuel is a fundamental component of the agricultural cycle, used in operating machinery, irrigation, plowing, harvesting, and directly affecting the cost of transporting produce to markets. Therefore, any increase in its price automatically raises production costs, while farmers cannot raise their crop prices at the same pace.

Al-Tarshishi pointed out that the management of the oil market by the Ministry of Energy prioritizes the interests of importers and companies owning thousands of fuel stations, rather than those of citizens. He warned that farmers are often forced to sell their produce below production cost amid rising energy, labor, transport, packaging, and refrigeration expenses, stressing that continuing this situation threatens the entire agricultural sector—especially since losses affect not only farmers but also the availability and prices of agricultural products and national food security.

He noted that fuel tanks in the Beqaa Valley remain empty, and even gallons of fuel have become nearly unattainable for many farmers, particularly as fuel costs now exceed the minimum wage, reflecting the severity of the crisis facing the sector.

Al-Tarshishi called on the Lebanese government to act urgently to reclaim control over the oil sector, curb chaos, extortion, and monopolies, thereby alleviating burdens on farmers and the Lebanese citizen, and adopt a clear national policy ensuring transparent pricing and distribution, guaranteeing that any drop in global prices is reflected in the local market with the same speed as price increases appear.