The Ministry of Agriculture announced in a statement that the Minister of Agriculture in the caretaker government, Abbas Al-Hajj Hassan, is following up on the issue of the illegal entry of agricultural products, including fruits, vegetables, and banned agricultural drugs, into Lebanese territories. He has sent communications to the Ministry of Justice to inform the public prosecution to take action against smugglers and investigate information regarding them and take legal measures against them. He also reached out to the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, the Ministry of National Defense, the High Customs Council, and the General Directorate of Customs, requesting assistance in controlling border crossings to prevent smuggling through fixed and mobile checkpoints and inspection tours in wholesale markets, in order to protect local production and safeguard public health and food security in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture has tasked the regional departments within the ministry to conduct a strict campaign against banned and expired agricultural drugs starting from early September and to organize awareness campaigns to educate farmers about the prudent use of agricultural drugs and the risks of using banned agricultural drugs, as well as expired drugs that pose a risk to public health and agricultural production. Minister Al-Hajj Hassan has directed a letter to the General Directorate of State Security to support the Ministry of Agriculture's teams in the provinces and accompany them in the rigorous campaign to achieve these goals. Al-Hajj Hassan hopes for cooperation from municipalities, citizens, and civil society to complement the Ministry of Agriculture's teams. He has also contacted the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for assistance in disposing of the agricultural drugs that will be confiscated.
