LEBANON (Enmaeya News) - November 17, 2025

Lebanese Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani announced Monday that reopening Saudi markets to Lebanese agricultural products would play a crucial role in revitalizing the country’s export sector.

In remarks to the National News Agency (NNA), Hani highlighted how vital the Saudi market has historically been for Lebanon’s agricultural exports. He said that its reopening would not just restore a key trading corridor but offer a lifeline to a sector that has suffered significant losses in recent years. 

Hani also provided detailed figures that underscore the importance of Gulf markets, particularly Saudi Arabia, for Lebanese farmers. According to data cited by the minister, before 2020, 45% of Lebanon’s agricultural exports were destined for Gulf countries, with 13% going directly to Saudi Arabia. 

He added that in 2020, Lebanon exported about 500,000 tons of fruits, vegetables, and derivative products, roughly 200,000 tons of which went to the Gulf, and about 60,000 tons were shipped to Saudi Arabia. 

Hani said that the reopening of the Saudi market would stabilize the Lebanese agricultural sector, restore exporters’ competitiveness, and help farmers regain access to a historical market that has long embraced Lebanese produce. 

He described the potential move as “an opportunity to revive an entire sector,” not merely a return to previous trade levels.