State Fixes Milk Prices at LL1,100 after Sharp Drop Linked to Food Safety Campaign
The Ministries of Health, Economy and Agriculture held a joint press conference on Monday in which they declared fixing the prices of 1L of milk at LL1,100 after dropping for a week to LL500.
“We agreed to fix the prices of the 1 liter of milk at LL1,100,” Health Minister Wael Abou Faour told reporters, reiterating warnings for the owners of dairy factories that the state will not yield to their extortion.
“I will take the necessary legal measures against them,” he added.
The farmers said recently during protests that the closure of labneh factories in the Bekaa was the main reason behind the drop in prices, dumping milk on the roads.
Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb said that the food safety campaign will go on, stressing that his ministry is the sole authority responsible for determining the price of 1L of milk.
For his part, Economy Minister Alain Hakim told reporters that his ministry is setting the necessary qualifications in cooperation with the competent ministries.
“Those measure shall be implemented,” Hakim said.
Abou Faour revealed that Labneh Massabki and Center Jdeita, Shtaura Labneh factories, which were closed recently over food safety violations, have rectified their conditions.
In November, Minister Hakim announced the closure labneh factories for violating food safety regulations similarly to Abou Faour who recently kicked off a campaign against violating restaurants and institutions.
The minister said that Laqlouq Labneh, Qaisar, Massabki, Center Jdeita, Shtaura Dairy products and Hawa Dairy are among the violators.
Violations, announced by Abou Faour, included the presence of flies on the refrigerators of dairy products, the presence of open garbage bins in kitchens, workers not wearing gloves, and frying oil that was not changed for months.
H.K.
M.T.
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