Agricultural food exports grew by 51 percent to $949 million over the period 2019-2021 mainly driven by a surge in fruit exports especially grapes, according to the ‘Agrifood Exports 2019-2021’ report recently released by Fair Trade Lebanon, an NGO that supports small producers and food processing cooperatives.
Growth mainly driven by fruit sales
Exports of the fruits and nuts category, which is mainly made up of fruits, soared 5.6, Manager for Consulting Services at LEAD Expertise which is a consultancy firm focused on alternative economic development. Exports of beverages, spirits, and vinegar increased 64 percent over the period to $97 million. More than half of this category consisted in 2021 of flavored and aerated water exports which increased 2.5 times over the period. Exports of sauces, condiments, and similar food preparations grew by 49 percent to $67 million. The food categories that have witnessed a decline in their exports are confectionary products whose exports fell by 45 percent to $12 million and preparations of cereals, flour, starch, and milk whose exports dropped 15 percent to $35 million.
