BEIRUT, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Direct damage and production losses in southern Lebanon's agricultural sector caused by the ongoing war exceeded 570 million U.S. dollars, according to an official assessment released on Wednesday.
Direct damage to the agricultural sector in war-affected areas was estimated at about 41.2 million dollars, according to the assessment. Meanwhile, agricultural production losses were estimated at 530.5 million dollars.
The assessment found that around 1,380 hectares of land, excluding field crops, were directly damaged and require rehabilitation and restoration to regain productive capacity.
It highlighted substantial production losses, identifying about 56,320 hectares of agricultural land affected by disrupted farming activities, restricted access to farmland, lost production seasons, and damage to supply and marketing chains.
The assessment was conducted jointly by Lebanon's National Council for Scientific Research and the Ministry of Agriculture, with technical support and coordination from United Nations agencies. ■
