Lebanon's cherry season has come to an end after a very short run, with a sharp drop in volumes curbing the momentum of major commercial efforts. However, all is not lost, and Lebanese growers are looking forward with great enthusiasm to next season. This is according to Mazen Bou Chebel from Fav Lebanon, a consortium of seven agricultural cooperatives supporting farmers in sales and marketing.
© Fav Lebanon
Bou Chebel states, "The 2025 season was exceptional in terms of production, with adverse weather conditions leading to the loss of 80% of volumes. We experienced this problem across all varieties and production areas. We were caught off guard this season; however, we know what to do and are determined to make the next season a success."
The significant loss in volume made cherries very expensive on the local market, to the point that prices were no longer competitive for export. Bou Chebel adds: "We managed to ship small quantities to our traditional markets, such as Kuwait, Qatar, and Dubai, and we were able to pursue our commercial trials in Hong Kong and Singapore. From this perspective, the trials were conclusive thanks to the very high quality of the premium cherries, which meet the standards of the destinations and consumer preferences."
© Fav Lebanon
Adapting to climate change and warming temperatures is technically feasible, according to the grower. "We need to implement new agricultural practices that we didn't need until now. This mainly involves protecting orchards, buds, and flowers through more advanced agricultural operations, such as covering, coating, and the use of more suitable machinery. Lebanese growers are not used to this, but it is our role as exporting growers to support them. This also means an increase in production costs, but the good prices our cherries fetch on the market justify it. The good news is that these operations are easy to implement and will be adopted as early as next season."
© Fav Lebanon
The debacle of the season has not discouraged Bou Chebel, who says he plans to increase acreage in preparation for the next season. He explains, "We believe that this season's situation is exceptional and will be behind us. We see great potential for premium Lebanese cherries in several markets. Consumers in Europe, the Far East, and the Gulf countries prefer varieties very similar to our local Faraouni variety, in sizes 26 to 30, with dark-red color, sweetness, and acidity, and these characteristics correspond to nearly 70% of Lebanese production. Our B-grade production also has great potential in important markets such as Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan. "
"Lebanon's geographical location on the Mediterranean basin also offers great logistical advantages, guaranteeing the freshness and firmness of our fruit, which are key characteristics for defining good quality cherries. We have made great efforts to live up to our commercial ambitions in many areas such as pest management, varietal development, post-harvest operations, branding, logistics, and adaptation to the most stringent standards of the destination markets," Bou Chebel continues.
© Fav Lebanon
"These efforts include, as I said, advanced agricultural operations to improve volumes and sizes and reduce pesticides residues to MRL limits, adoption of new varieties preferred by consumers such as Sweet Early, Sweet Aryana, Sweet Lorenz, Sweetheart and Staccato, uniting growers under a single brand and appellation, Fruits and Vegetables Lebanon (FAV Lebanon), obtaining certifications such as Global Gap, GRASP, and very soon SMETA, as well as extending the season by one week earlier and one week later, which will be a decisive competitive advantage. We therefore look forward to meeting our customers next season," he concludes.
For more information:
Mazen Bou Chebel
Fav Lebanon
Tel: +961 3 036 888
Email: [email protected]
www.favlebanon.com
