Export Plus Program

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Export Plus Program
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Launching the Export Plus Program

• In an attempt to improve the agricultural
  situation in Lebanon, the Lebanese government has
  launched, through the Investment Development
  Authority of Lebanon, IDAL, the national
  agriculturalExport Plus program in August 14th
  2001

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Basic Objectives of the Program

• Supervision of the Lebanese agricultural products
  set for export to guarantee their quality in
  order to meet the international standards
• Increase the percentage of the Lebanese
  agricultural exports to traditional markets, as
  well as creation of new markets in non-Arab
  countries through commercial campaigns
• Information sessions for farmers

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Steps of Implementation

Farmer
Support
IDAL
Exporter
Ag. cooperation
International Inspection Bureaus
Orchard
Packing house
Lebanese borders
Destination country
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Inspection

• Three international bureaus covering all
  Lebanon
• Veritas Bekaa mohafazat, South
• SGS North mohafazat, MT. Lebanon and Beirut

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Inspection Contd

• At the orchard
• Verification of origin
• Inspection of quality of product at
  harvesting
• Recommendation concerning picking methods

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Inspection Contd

• At the packing house
• Inspection of the quality of agricultural
  products based on visual and physical tests
• Chemical tests are requested depending on
  countries of destination

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Inspection Contd

• At the Lebanese borders and at destination
  country
• Verification at the Lebanese borders
• Verification at destination, upon IDALs
  request in case of quality problems on
  arrival

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Improvement

• Significant improvement in terms of the quality
  of the exported agricultural products according
  to the norms set by the Lebanese ministry of
  agriculture and the international standards with
  respect to criteria such as
• Grading (size and color)
• Marking
• Product classification
• Packing

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• The farmer is now aware that the optimal way to
  market his products is by assuring their best
  quality

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5- Suggested Recommendations
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• Importers, distributors and end users in
  developed countries recommend high quality and
  environmentally safe products at competitive
  prices
• Need to implement new managements

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Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

• A sustainable approach to managing pests in a way
  that minimizes economic, health and environmental
  risks by combining
• Biological control introduce natural enemies
• Cultural control crop rotation
• Chemical control maximum effect at minimum
  levels of pesticide.
• Genetic control Host Plant Resistance (HPR)

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Organic Farming

• An approach to agriculture aiming at creating
  integrated, humane, environmentally and
  economically sustainable agricultural production
  systems
• Key characteristics
• Protecting the long term fertility of soils
• Crop rotations, natural predators, diversity,
  organic manuring, resistant varieties and limited
  thermal, biological and chemical intervention
• Careful attention to the impact of the farming
  system on the wider environment and the
  conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

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6. Future Steps to Be Implemented through
Export Plus Program
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Internally

• Further info sessions
• Imposing the mechanization of the storage,
  sorting and packaging processes
• Technical studies on how to improve the
  production as a necessary step for it to be
  introduced to foreign new markets

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Externally

• Participation in international agricultural
  exhibitions
• Study of foreign market needs to specify
  varieties to be exported at the best timing
• Intensive advertising directed to both Arab
  and non-Arab consumers