Will State Inaction Lead Us into a Food Crisis?

Hani Bahsali, President of the Syndicate of Food Importers, warned of the risks to citizens' food security due to the state's failure to issue lists of goods exempt from customs duties. In a statement to "Voice of Lebanon," he explained the Syndicate's recent statement, emphasizing the urgency to publish clear pricing tables to avoid falling into pricing chaos and anarchy. Bahsali observed that the state is quick to impose new fees on products, whereas the Syndicate seeks to maintain the prices of goods not subject to customs dollars and to avoid raising them. He reassured that goods exempt from customs duty should not see a price increase, while items facing up to 10 percent duty will face a price increase of 4 percent. Additionally, items that incur a 35 percent duty, such as canned vegetables, are expected to see a price increase of at least 12 percent. Bahsali also called for the formation of a committee from both the public and private sectors to determine the types of locally manufactured goods that can satisfy the local market.