Economics, Politics & Agribusiness in Lebanon

On Sunday, May 6, Lebanon is set to holds its first general elections since 2009, after several postponements. These highly anticipated elections for the Middle East come in the midst of a complex domestic and regional situation surrounding Lebanon. Lebanon’s incumbent head of government Saad Hariri has been facing mounting pressure, particularly from patrons in Saudi Arabia, to both hold elections and resign from his position as Prime Minister.

Economics, Politics & Agribusiness in Lebanon

Lebanon is a parliamentary republic with several ethnic and religious groups represented throughout the government. Likewise, the country is located along the eastern Mediterranean coast of the Middle East, between Syria and Israel. With a total territory of 10.400 square kilometers, Lebanon is about a third the size of Maryland. Geographically, the country consists of coastal plains and the snow-capped Lebanon Mountains along the interior. Furthermore, Lebanon has 225 kilometers of coastline and temperate Mediterranean climate, with dry desert areas and snow along its interior mountain range. Currently, the country has a total population of approximately 6.3 million citizens with an average age of 31 years and a large refugee population from Syria. Similarly, some 88% of the Lebanese population lives in an urban setting, notably the capital city of Beirut with its 2.3 million inhabitants. In economic terms, the country has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of almost US$88 billion (PPP) and has experienced positive economic growth in recent years. Simultaneously, the Lebanese economy is divided into about 6% agriculture, 21% manufacturing, and 73% services. Moreover, in Lebanon, the agriculture industry utilizes 63% of the national territory, while another 13% is forested.

In terms of trade, Lebanon is the 115th largest export economy in the world and has numerous free trade agreements (FTAs), though none with the United States. During 2016, the country imported US$48.2 billion worth of goods and exported US$8.8 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of US$39.3 billion. Moreover, Lebanon’s main export, representing 17% or US$744 million of the country’s total in 2016, was gold. Likewise, the country’s main import that same year, representing 15% or US$3.7 billion of all international purchases, was refined petroleum. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s main trading partners are China, the United States, the European Union, and South Africa.

Unfortunately, in Lebanon, some 300.000 people suffer from undernourishment. In recent years, the average per capita protein intake of animal origin amongst the Lebanese population has been 29 grams daily. Meanwhile, land distribution and productivity in the country have evolved throughout the last half century. Back in 1961, permanent pastures and meadows in Lebanon covered 300.000 hectares, while arable land covered 172.000 hectares and permanent crops accounted for 90.000 hectares. More recently, in 2015, permanent pastures and meadows had increased to account for 400.000 hectares, while arable land represented 132.000 hectares and permanent crops covered approximately 126.000 hectares. Lastly, in 1961, the cereals market in Lebanon utilized 90.400 hectares of land and yielded some 96.500 metric tons annually. Meanwhile, in 2016, the country devoted 61.234 hectares of land to cereals production and yielded approximately 184.509 metric tons.

(Read more about Poultry Trade in Europe and Throughout the World)