Market Readiness Analysis

The Lebanese Standards for Organic Farming were drafted by Green
Line Association with the support of GTZ, reviewed by a technical
committee at the Lebanese Standards Institution ―Libnor‖ and
approved by Libnor’s Board in March 2004.
The Lebanese Standards for Organic Farming are divided into four
parts:
(1) Plants and plant products, livestock and livestock products, food
processing and beekeeping.
(2) Aquaculture.
(3) Forest management.
(4) Accreditation criteria for bodies certifying organic production and
processing.
The book ―Lebanese Standards for Organic Farming‖ – Arabic
version is available free of charge at Green Line Association and
ALOA.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
The last two years witnessed an important development of the
organic sector in Lebanon. Organic certification has started to be
performed by two local certifying bodies: IMC-Liban and LibanCert.
IMC-Liban works under the umbrella of IMC Italy; LibanCert works in
partnership with Bio.Inspecta Switzerland until achieving international
accreditation.
This awaited establishment of local organic certification bodies
foresees an increase in organically certified businesses in Lebanon
and the region. Provision of services and expertise has now become
more cost-effective, language barriers have been removed, and
monitoring and control are more frequent.
Despite an initial suspicion that local consumers might have in
regards to local certification, the coordination with international
certification bodies, and the acquirement of an international
accreditation are expected to give more credibility and trust in local
certification. Local prices are also expected to slightly decrease with
the acquirement of certification at a lower cost, and the emergence of
more competition.
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