Syria agrees to open border for 24 hours to Lebanese bananas

Syria has agreed to open its borders to Lebanese banana imports for 24 hours, local media reported Sunday.

NBN said that the decision came following efforts made by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri with Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim.

This comes one day after the Lebanese Farmers’ Association urged the government to contact Damascus in a bid to resolve the exports crisis through Syria. Antoine Howayek, head of Lebanese Farmers' Association, Saturday said that Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb's decision to ban imports from Syria, except for licensed items, had prompted Syria to deal with Lebanese farmers the same way.

The association said that it will be holding a “Banana Farmers Day of Rage” Monday in order to pressure the government into compensating their seasonal losses. They are demanding LL10, 000($6.66) compensation for every banana bundle, according to Howayek.

Farmers across Lebanon have faced a difficult season, with many plantations left infertile due to a lack of rain.

The Syrian war has also affected farmers’ abilities to export their produce. The government issued a decree earlier this year to compensate apple growers for the inability to export their products.