International sanctions recently imposed on Syria are being felt in Lebanon, according to an article published last month in the New Statesman magazine.
Usually, approximately one-third of Lebanon's trade, including main items citrus and apples, is either sent to Syria or transported through Syria, the magazine said.
Sanctions in Syria, however, have caused exports to fall, both to Syria and to countries like Egypt, Libya and Iraq, with most produce now having to be exported to markets in the Gulf by air.
This means that much larger quantities of fruit are remaining on the Lebanese market, leading to a drop in prices.
Ahmad Fayyad, a trader at Beirut's wholesale fruit and vegetable market, commented: 'A kilo of lemons used to be L£3,000 `€1.50`. Now it's down to L£2,000 `€1`. There is fear, and it affects us in Lebanon.'
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