The devastating explosion in Beirut helped crush the largest grocery store in the entire country.
The warehouse with a capacity of 120,000 tons of wheat has been the entry point for food imports into Lebanon.
As a result, now importers have to rely on small ports to bring in foodstuffs.
There is concern that this will create food scarcity.
Lebanon, which has a population of six million, relies almost entirely on the supply of wheat from abroad to meet domestic needs.
Currently, dozens to dozens of people are still missing after the explosion that devastated the port on Thursday (6/8).
At least 154 people died, 5,000 were injured and around 250,000 residents were left homeless.
With the banking system on the brink of crisis, Lebanon’s Economy Minister, Raoul Nehme, said the government’s ability was “very limited” to cope with the disaster.
So far, the estimated losses from the explosion are around USD 15 billion.
The absence of special terminals and food storage warehouses in Lebanon’s ports poses a serious threat after the disaster.
The government has been criticized for preferring to practice a patchwork strategy, rather than targeting root causes, such as those in the energy sector or urban cleaning services.
Eight flour producers are forced to find new logistics channels to protect wheat supplies.
It is believed that grain trucks will be diverted from Beirut to Tripoli, which is 85 kilometers north of Beirut.
“This is very risky,” said Hesham Hassanein, Consultant for Food Security in Cairo, Egypt.
