In Lebanon, producers of hashish are victims… of overproduction
"Allow us to export cannabis and the dollars will come back," say the farmers
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Victims of overproduction, cannabis farmers in the Beqaa now long for the time when the Lebanese State was fighting against the cultivation of Indian hemp, burning entire fields. When Syrian refugees began arriving in the Beqaa, the authorities stopped destroying the crops to prevent protests from the already impoverished host community. For a few years now, planting and irrigation of the fields has been done openly. The price of cannabis collapsed to $100 per kilo because farmers in the Beqaa have started planting hemp again, taking advantage of the leniency from authorities. Supply has out stripped demand, and last year, the price of cannabis––80 percent of which is destined for export––fell to $150 per kilogram. Last year’s merchandise hasn’t been sold yet and is laying in the farmers’ barns.
