Lebanon has for long been dependent on imports to fulfil the domestic demand for dairy products and it is estimated that over 60 % of dairy products are imported. Agriculture and dairy production were increasingly prioritised some five years ago when international food prices increased putting great pressure on the finances of Lebanon.

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, (FAO) with the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) is implementing a project to directly reach out thousand poorest dairy farmers with the aim of improving their small-scale dairy production and contributing to decrease Lebanon reliance on imports. Through the project two cooperatives have been established and they are supporting poor dairy farmers to better access local market and add value to their production.

Recently, H.E. Minister of Agriculture Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan with FAO Representative Dr. Ali Moumen visited Tarayya were the local dairy cooperative distributed 200 milk jars of stainless steel to female dairy farmers. During the visit a medium sized milk-processing centre in Brital, was inaugurated.

The Center will contribute to preserve the good quality of milk in Brital and Tarayya where farmers are used to store milk overnight with a high risk for its food safety. The Center will also increase the poor small-scale dairy farmers’ income from milk produce and eventually provide customers with improved quality of milk and diary produce in the Baalbek region.