A portion of the hundreds of trucks lined at the Masnaa border The movement of trucks that carry Lebanese agricultural and industrial exports has been strongly hit by the situation in the neighbouring state of Syria as the crossings between the two countries have slowed and less drivers are prepared to make the journey, said the head of the Bekaa Growers Union, Ibrahim Tarchichi.
\"The trucks are currently waiting for two days to pass across the borders while we have been in daily communication with the relative officials that operate the crossings\"
\"We have been promised that the operation will remain every day until 6pm and this will also apply for Beirut\'s port, but we are still waiting for these promises to be put into effect,\" he added.
On the latest attempts to depend more on maritime shipment, Tarchichi said that the Lebanese agricultural exporters have traveled this route for 10 more than years now, particularly in the exports of potatoes, apples and grapes. The exporters are still facing problems in exporting other cultivations through maritime shipment like green mint, parsley, beans and tomatoes, as shipment through the sea ARE more costly and take more time.
Lebanon\'s state-run news agency NNA, has earlier published a report saying Lebanon has lost more than $150 million in exports through its land crossing with Syria since the beginning of 2012.