The Syrian Government has approved a proposal from the Ministry of Economy and Domestic Trade to allow the import of bananas from Lebanon in exchange for the export of citrus.
At a hearing on Tuesday 1 November, it was decided to allow the import of one kilo of Lebanese bananas for every five kilos of Syrian citrus exported.
The Council explained that this is linked to strengthening economic ties with Lebanon, noting that the imports will start this month and last until April next year.
This agreement follows a crisis between the two countries last June, when the Lebanese Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, gave orders to prevent the entry of trucks with Syrian fruits and vegetables into Lebanon until 1 February next year, saying that he pursued "the protection of Lebanese farms and the domestic production in the face of a flood of Syrian goods."
It is worth noting that Syria's total production of various items for the current season exceeds one million tonnes, according to the Chief Marketing Office of the General Union of Peasants, Mahmoud Hassan, who confirmed last month that the government has allocated one and a half billion pounds (over 6 million Euro) for the marketing of citrus and apples.
The government has sought to export citrus to Russia since the beginning of this year, in spite of higher prices in the domestic market, after the facilities granted by Moscow to the Syrians, granting citrus exporters 25% tariff cuts.
