Lebanon: Agriculture Ministry and Oil Companies Cooperate to Support Apple Cold Storage and Purchase 100 Tons

Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani held a meeting with representatives of oil companies dedicated to discussing mechanisms to support apple farmers, reduce the cost of storing and marketing the crop, ensure quality preservation, and protect farmer revenues. This took place within the framework of the national campaign to support Lebanese agriculture and market the 2026 apple harvest, continuing Minister Hani's efforts to secure practical and sustainable solutions for the challenges facing this sector.

The meeting resulted in a cooperation initiative between the Ministry of Agriculture and oil companies, including securing quantities of diesel to support the operation of apple refrigeration units, alongside purchasing quantities of Lebanese production and marketing them through the fuel station network, in a step combining direct support for farmers with stimulating local consumption.

225 barrels of diesel as first installment

In this context, oil companies expressed their readiness to provide 225 barrels of diesel as a first installment to help alleviate operational burdens on apple storage refrigerators, amid rising energy costs and the financial pressures they impose on farmers and refrigerator owners.

Minister Hani also continues his contacts and efforts to secure an additional 300 barrels of diesel, aiming to expand the scope of benefit and enhance the capacity of cooling centers to absorb and preserve the crop during the marketing phase.

These efforts fall under a plan targeting 66 apple storage refrigerators in Akkar, the North, and Mount Lebanon regions, with work underway to complete the necessary quantities to secure approximately ten barrels per refrigerator, according to available capabilities and distribution mechanisms to be adopted.

In an additional step to ease burdens, the companies will offer a discount on the cost of transporting diesel to the benefiting refrigerators, equivalent to about $20 per ton, which contributes to reducing the total cost of storage and operation.

Purchasing 100 tons of Lebanese apples

On the front of supporting local marketing, oil companies expressed their readiness to purchase 100 tons of Lebanese apples, with these quantities to be distributed through the companies' fuel stations.

This step constitutes an innovative model for involving the private sector in supporting national production, by transforming the fuel station network into an additional channel for promoting Lebanese apples and encouraging their consumption, opening new horizons for disposing of the crop outside traditional marketing channels.

Hani: From support to actual partnership

Minister Hani affirmed that "this initiative comes as a completion of the roadmap set by the Ministry of Agriculture for marketing the Lebanese apple season, which is based on expanding export markets, revitalizing local consumption, reducing production, storage, and transport costs, and strengthening partnerships with various economic sectors."

He stressed that "supporting the Lebanese farmer cannot remain just a slogan, but must turn into concrete steps that protect his production, safeguard his toil, and help him continue on his land. The cooperation we witness today with oil companies confirms that integrating efforts between the public and private sectors can make a real difference in facing agricultural challenges."

He added: "Preserving the apple crop is not limited to finding markets, but also includes ensuring appropriate storage conditions and limiting losses resulting from rising costs," confirming that the ministry continues to work at various levels to secure the best possible opportunities for farmers.

Hani thanked "the oil companies for their responsiveness and willingness to contribute to this national initiative," considering that "responsibility towards Lebanese production goes beyond the boundaries of sectors and institutions, and every contribution to supporting the farmer constitutes a direct investment in the national economy, food security, and the stability of rural communities."

The ministry affirmed that "this initiative constitutes an additional station within the series of measures implemented to support the apple season, parallel to contacts aimed at opening foreign markets and facilitating exports, and encouraging institutions, companies, and consumers to prioritize Lebanese production."

It also confirmed "continued coordination with relevant parties to complete the support allocated to storage refrigerators, follow up on the implementation of commitments, and expand the base of companies and institutions participating in the national campaign. Lebanese apples are not just a seasonal crop, but a source of livelihood for thousands of families, a cornerstone of the rural economy, and protecting its production is protecting the land, the farmer, and the national economy, for agriculture is the pulse of the earth and life."