BEIRUT: Lebanese farmers association held a meeting Thursday to discuss the challenges facing the agriculture sector in Lebanon and the solutions that must be adopted by the government to improve the performance of this sector.

“The Lebanese agriculture sector is suffering a lot while the Agriculture Ministry is not properly assuming its responsibilities,” the association said in a statement following the meeting.

The association asked the government to reinstate Export Plus in order to assist farmers in exporting their excess produce.

The program consists of a subsidy for the transport of agricultural goods based on the quantity exported and the destination.

The association has also called for stopping the financial assistance to farmers until a committee is formed to make sure that these donations are fairly distributed among all farmers.

It also called for the establishment of an agriculture agenda in accordance with a law managed by the chamber of commerce, industry and agriculture.