RMF launched a new initiative to help the Lebanese apple growers export their produce to new foreign markets. The initiative was an answer to the serious crisis that the Lebanese apple farmers have been enduring for the past few years, not being able to find markets for their produce. It is an initiative that comes under RMF’s ‘Providing support for Agriculture and for Rural Development’ program.
The efforts put by RMF’s Executive Director Michel Moawad led to opening the Russian markets for the first time to the Lebanese apples. RMF worked in cooperation with a company that specializes in finding markets for Lebanese vegetables and fruits in Russia.
The packaging was done according to high quality specifications to meet the quality norms required by the Russian market and International Quality Standards set and verified by ‘Bureau Veritas’. Entering the Russian market for the first time, this initiative is an experiment to test the Lebanese apples’ appeal to local consumers. Hopefully, with a positive response, the initiative will be opening new export markets for larger quantities of Lebanese apples produce in the future, helping the Lebanese apple farmer to stick to his farming activities and ‘stay in his land’!
The apple crisis
The Lebanese apple grower depends on this activity to earn his livelihood. Closed borders and poor marketing in foreign countries had caused him recently to face extremely challenging conditions while trying to sell his produce. What added to his plight this season was the issue of the compensation proposed to him by the government, for not being able to sell his produce. Consequently, most of farmers were left with no gains or profit.
The urging appeals to the government and the authorities to support and help the apple producers reach foreign markets hadn’t led to any relevant initiative. Trusting the quality of the Lebanese apple and the potential to export it to the various parts of the world, RMF moved forward with the ‘Russian market’ initiative.
The endeavor is in tune with RMF’s main objectives to help the Lebanese citizen stay in his land, and help establish foundations for his social stability. In this case, the initiative will help the Lebanese farmers live with dignity and have access to social justice.
