Conflict Incident Report

BEIRUT: Farmers in north Lebanon blocked a vital highway linking the northern Akkar district with Tripoli. Demonstrators called on authorities to assist in the face of increasing local and regional business pressures negatively affecting their trade, the state-run National News Agency reported. “We don’t fancy blocking roads,” Akkar Mayor Mohammad al-Masri said. “But we demand to meet with the prime minister to explain to him our suffering.” The mayor demanded that the government compensate citrus farmers, as it had apple farmers, impacted by low market prices. Some farmers have called for another ban on imported produce, and compensation of LL7,000 ($4.66) for each basket of citrus. According to affected farmers, weather conditions, importing of foreign produce and lack of government support has negatively impacted the market. Farmers in south Lebanon have previously engaged in similar demonstrations. Some scattered produced across the Zahrani highway Wednesday to protest Syrian imports they said were “crippling the sector.” Following the outbreak of the crisis, Syrian produce has entered the Lebanese market, contributing to a deflation in prices.