Lebanese farmers have raised concerns over dumping after huge quantities of smuggled Syrian onions appeared on the Lebanese market at prices lower than local offerings. The farmers are demanding that Lebanese customs authorities pursue the smugglers.
Ibrahim Tarshishi, head of the Bekaa Farmers Association: “The Lebanese customs cooperated with us and began confiscating the smuggled goods, but the matter will not stop. Soon, Syrian potato products will be smuggled. The regions of Tripoli and Akkar in northern Lebanon live on vegetables and fruits smuggled from Syria, and no one pursues the smugglers. However, when it comes to flooding the Lebanese market with smuggled Syrian goods, the matter cannot be tolerated.”
