Lebanese producers and exporters of grapes, especially in the Bekaa region, strive relentlessly to produce new varieties (e.g. seedless) and to enhance their production standards in fulfillment to the requirements of the international and local markets. Nevertheless, and despite their pioneering efforts, they continue to face mounting impediments resulting from the elevated maritime shipping costs, which compromise the competitiveness of their produce, and thus undermine their chances to access new, markets in Europe and East Asia.For example, it costs around $4,400 to ship a 40-feet container from Lebanon to Malaysia, versus just $1,900 to ship the same container from Tunisia to Malaysia.In light of the above, private and public stakeholders (exporters, forwarders, shipping lines, etc.) need to collaborate as to, collectively, bring about a quick and practical solution to this problem of elevated freight costs, in attempt to enhance the competitiveness of the local produce and promote its commercialization in international markets

 

Issue 09 - Grapes