FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
Favourable weather conditions prevail; average crop forecasted
Cereal import requirements in 2015/16 set to increase slightly
Entry and residency rules put break on number of Syrian refugees
Relatively favourable production prospects prevail
Planting of the 2016 winter grains for harvest from approximately mid-June concluded in early January. Planting of sorghum normally starts in mid-April.
Remote sensing data shows that cumulative precipitation so far in 2016 exceeded or was close to the long-term average (1989-2012) in all districts except Hermel and Zahle in Beqaa Province where the difference was 10 and 26 percent, respectively. However, compared to the same period in 2015, some districts across the country experienced deficits up to 25 percent, while others received up to 50 percent more precipitation than in 2015. The deficits are most prominent in some of the most agriculturally productive parts of Beqaa Valley. Up to early March 2016, the NDVI developments in 2016 appeared to be closely mirroring that of 2015 and the historical average. Abnormally warm temperatures prevailed across the region possibly speeding up crop development.
In 2015, total cereal production was estimated at about 177 000 tonnes, similar to the previous year and the five-year average. While domestic cereal production is limited by landscape, agricultural production, particularly fruits and vegetables, is important. Out of a total agricultural area of 332 000 hectares, 230 000 are cultivated. Some 113 000 hectares are irrigated. The agricultural sector employs 6 percent of the total labour force but is a primary source of income and employment in rural areas reaching up to 25 percent of the labour force and 80 percent of local GDP in rural districts.
Lebanese exporters of horticultural products, fruits in particular, are experiencing difficulties due to the continuing conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic that disrupted land routes with the closure of the last border crossing between the Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan in March 2015. An alternative marine transportation is costlier but also unsuitable for a variety of highly perishable products. Some farmers near the border with the Syrian Arab Republic report that security concerns have prevented them from accessing their fields and orchards.