Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Al-Bassat, speaking from Baabda Palace:
“Today, I met with the President and briefed him on the measures the Ministry of Economy is taking to ensure food security and the availability of basic commodities during this sensitive period the country is going through.
I confirmed that stocks of basic goods are available at high levels, especially flour, food products, and fuel, and that food security is guaranteed for several months.
Imports are ongoing and have not stopped; any consumption from the stock is continuously replenished. The pace of hoarding has also decreased after people were reassured about availability.
We discussed logistical challenges: the stock exists, but the main priority is delivering goods to consumers. Coordination is ongoing between ministries and security forces to ensure this.
There has been an increase in some prices due to security conditions and rising global prices, particularly for fuel. However, we will not allow any exploitation of the situation or unjustified inflation.
Inspection teams are intensifying their field rounds in cooperation with security forces and the judiciary. Measures have been taken against violators, and fuel stations and stores that manipulated prices have been shut down.
As for fuel prices, they are determined according to a mechanism based on the average global prices in recent days. Any external decrease will automatically be reflected in Lebanon’s prices.
