Ahmad Hoteit, head of the Lebanese Millers Syndicate, told Reuters that Lebanon will receive 35,000 tons of wheat from Ukraine and Russia this week, a step that may temporarily alleviate the country's wheat shortage. He added that the ships are sailing from the ports of Reni and Ismail on the Danube River in Ukraine, as well as from the Russian ports of Rostov-on-Don and the Caucasus.
Shipping data showed that the bulk carrier, the Haja Zainab, was at Ismail port on July 8 and was designated to head to Beirut. These shipments could help ease the wheat shortage that has left some major stores without bread in recent days.
This shortage has become widespread during the financial collapse in Lebanon over the past three years, as the state has struggled to support wheat imports amid its financial difficulties. Lebanon imported approximately 754,000 tons of wheat in 2021, according to customs statistics, with an average consumption of around 60,000 tons of wheat per month. Lebanese Economy Minister did not respond to requests for comment.
The Ukrainian embassy in Lebanon stated to Reuters on Friday that Ukraine will resume wheat exports to Lebanon via Reni. The embassy clarified in a statement, "We asked the Ministry of Agriculture in Kyiv to prioritize Lebanon as a destination for this wheat. We said (Lebanon is a friend of ours), so they gave us the green light."
Additionally, they noted that there is already one shipment being transported based on a trade agreement between a Lebanese importer and a Ukrainian exporter, with more shipments expected. The embassy pointed out that the Lebanese Foreign Ministry is the only one in the region that condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February. Lebanon has been accustomed to importing about 60 percent of its wheat from Ukraine, but these shipments were disrupted due to the Russian invasion and the blockade of major Black Sea ports from which Ukraine previously exported.
