The Treasurer of the Lebanese Poultry Syndicate William Boutros said in a statement on Thursday that “subsidizing the poultry sector remains a necessity, in light of the high prices of grains and the global shortage in poultry production.”

He added: “There is no choice except by protecting and strengthening local poultry production to enable it to meet the people’s nutritional needs from protein.”

Boutros stressed the necessity of “subsidizing poultry production and securing it at the specified times until the customs tariff is re-examined and amended to meet its purpose.

He explained that the customs fees,  amid devaluation and the economic collapse, do not achieve the desired objectives. It neither secure the required financial revenues for the government, nor protect the industrial and agricultural sectors.

Boutros pointed out that “the poultry sector is one of the strategic national sectors and poultry meat is one of the main sources of protein.” He added that the Syndicate’s main concern is that the government continue securing subsidies for fodder and grains, so producers will be able to meet the consumption needs and provide Lebanese with high quality poultry meat at reasonable and affordable prices. It also cares about the companies’ sustainability, which employs more than 20,000 families, until the customs tariff is amended.

Boutros warned that large problem will arise at various levels if the subsidies were lifted and the customs tariff were not modified.