Lebanese Agriculture and Industry Ministries Intensify Efforts to Combat Fraud in Dairy Sector

Under the directives of Minister of Agriculture Dr. Nizar Hani and Minister of Industry Engineer Joe Issa Al-Khoury, a comprehensive coordination meeting was held at the Ministry of Agriculture. The meeting was chaired by the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture Engineer Louis Lahoud and the Director General of the Ministry of Industry Mr. Adel Al-Shabab, with participation from specialized technical and regulatory teams from both ministries. This initiative is part of national efforts to enhance food safety, protect consumer health, and support local production adhering to standards and specifications.

The meeting focused on assessing the current state of Lebanon’s dairy and cheese sector, exploring ways to develop a joint regulatory system, and strengthening cooperation between the two ministries to combat food fraud and safeguard consumers. Discussions also addressed existing regulatory and legislative gaps and potential solutions to improve the quality and reliability of locally produced food.

Following deliberations, a set of practical measures was agreed upon, including:

* Intensifying the national campaign against fraud: continuing joint regulatory inspections of dairy and cheese factories across Lebanon, increasing field visits and inspections to ensure compliance with health and technical standards, and enforcing legal actions against violators.

* Completing the legislative framework for food preparations: due to the absence of a national standard for “food preparations,” it was agreed to accelerate efforts to develop and approve a clear and specific standard for this sector. This aims to fill the legislative gap, prevent product classification confusion, enhance consumer protection, and ensure fair market competition.

* Enhancing institutional coordination: activating cooperation mechanisms between technical and regulatory teams in the Ministries of Agriculture and Industry, establishing regular channels for information exchange, and coordinating inspection and monitoring activities to improve transparency and efficiency in overseeing local food production.

Both ministries emphasized that protecting citizens’ health, ensuring food safety, and preserving the reputation of national food industries are uncompromising national priorities. They stressed that any violation of standards or practices involving fraud or consumer deception will be met with strict enforcement of applicable laws and regulations, including severe legal measures against offenders.

The ministries also called on all production institutions to fully comply with standard specifications and food safety requirements and to cooperate completely with regulatory bodies. This cooperation is intended to strengthen consumer confidence in Lebanese products and enhance their competitiveness in domestic and international markets.