Lebanon: We only have enough wheat for a month..60% of it comes from Ukraine

Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam said on Friday that Lebanon's reserves of wheat are sufficient for a maximum period of one month, and that it is seeking to conclude import agreements from different countries amid market concerns due to the Ukrainian crisis.

Salam added that the country, which imports nearly 60 percent of its wheat needs from Ukraine, is in talks with other countries to import wheat including the United States, India, France and some other European countries.

"We do not want to create a state of panic," the minister said. "We have positive indications."

Lebanon's main wheat silos were destroyed in the 2020 Port of Beirut explosion, and since then the country has not had enough capacity to store more than a month's supply.

Salam said in a press conference that the state is seeking to reach agreements on importing wheat at reasonable prices to secure reserves of up to two months.

He added, "A very important point is that we can take commitments from some countries and some companies at discounted prices. We buy them and reserve them, and we secure a little one or two months of the wheat stock."

Earlier on Friday, Grace Barbari, Director General of Cereals and Sugar Beets at the Ministry of Economy and Trade, told Reuters that Lebanon's wheat reserves are sufficient for a period of one and a half to two months.

Barbari added that two shipments of wheat to Lebanon that were being loaded in Ukraine were delayed due to the war.

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