:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/thenational/BNZQTCT5Q234IVXZTEYCH6QGMY.jpg)
Sunflower shortages are looming in Lebanon as war rages in Ukraine and importers scramble to find cheaper alternatives in the cash-strapped country.
Supermarkets have begun to ration sales of oil, sugar and flour, businessmen told The National.
There have been no new import requests in Lebanon for crude and pre-packed sunflower oil since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 26.
Ukrainian ships are unable to sail and stringent financial sanctions on Russia have cut off most of its economy from the world market.
“Several of my shipments that were supposed to leave Ukraine one week after the war started never left, which leaves me out of 50 per cent of supplies I had ordered for Ramadan,” said Hani Bohsali, the head of the union of Lebanese food importers.
War in Eastern Europe has affected food security across the planet. Russia and Ukraine account for more than three quarters and one-third of sunflower oil and barley exports, respectively, according to the World Food Programme.
But import-dependent Lebanon, which is two years into a severe financial collapse, is particularly vulnerable to market shocks.
Sunflower oil is hugely popular for cooking food, unlike, for example, in the US, where local taste dictates a preference for soybean oil.
Israeli lawmaker resigns over ‘harassment’ of Palestinians, plunging government into parliamentary minority
Israel's fragile government lost its parliamentary majority on Thursday after an Arab-Israeli lawmaker resigned from the ruling coalition, accusing its leaders of fueling tensions between Israelis and Palestinians and condemning the violent intervention of police at...
Canada storms: Nearly a million homes lose power in high winds
Nearly 900,000 homes in southern Canada were left without power on Saturday after a severe storm hit the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Seven people were killed by falling trees and a woman died when a boat capsized in the Ottawa River. Wind gusts reached 82 mph...
World faces big challenges over Covid, monkeypox and wars – WHO
The world is facing "formidable" challenges, including Covid, the war in Ukraine and monkeypox, the head of the World Health Organization has warned. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was speaking in Geneva, where the UN health agency's experts were discussing the monkeypox...
Fake news attributed to LBCI about first case of Monekypox in Lebanon
WhatsApp groups are spreading false information attributed to LBCI about the diagnosis of the first case of Monkeypox in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, in a woman coming from South Africa, and that the case is being tracked. LBCI’s website denies reporting similar...
Geagea: The LF will not nominate Berri, and the elections are the first step out of the faltering state
Lebanese Forces Party Chief, Samir Geagea, considered that a major confrontation needs to be undertaken in order to get Lebanon out of its current situation, and “the first step begins with the elections for the presidency of the Parliament." He reiterated that the...
Submit your event
We will be happy to share your events. Please email us the details and pictures at publish@profilenewsohio.com
Address
P.O. Box: 311001 Independance, Ohio, 44131
Call Us
+1 (216) 269 3272
Email Us
Publish@profilenewsohio.com