The Lebanese government resolved during its latest session to delegate the Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Bisat with the task of preparing for the rebuilding of grain silos. Dr. Bisat commented that this step aims at bolstering the country’s food security, and that the old silos that bore witness to the infamous port blast will be converted into a touristic landmark. The minister further clarified that the plan is to build grain silos at 3 locations, namely Beirut (in the Beirut port), the Bekaa, and Tripoli with a total storage capacity of 414,000 tons (o/w 235,000 tons in Beirut) compared to a storage capacity of 150,000 tons for the old silos.

The initial step will be technical involving the preparation of a detailed study funded by the Kuwaiti Fund through a grant of approximately $1.5 million and will require several months to complete. Regarding implementation, the Minister explained that it will commence with the first phase in Beirut where the foundation stone is expected to be laid within months. As for the financing of the silos, Dr. Bisat pointed out that the total cost of the project is $250 million and that there is a preliminary promise of funding by the Kuwaiti fund, and that there are talks with other Arab nations is this regard. Finally, it is worth noting that Lebanon consumes more than 600,000 tons of wheat per year, while local production only stands at 50,000 tons, rendering the country highly reliant on imports.