Libya’s Tripoli based Ministry of Economy and Trade reported yesterday that last Thursday (29 October), the Minister of Economy and Trade held an extensive meeting at the Ministry’s headquarters.
The meeting centred on the challenges facing farmers and livestock breeders, as well as mechanisms to support local production and enhance its contribution to achieving food security.
The meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, representatives from entities involved in the agriculture and livestock sectors, the Farmers' Union, the Breeders' Union, the General Company for Veterinary Medicines, and the Food and Drug Control Centre.
The meeting addressed key obstacles hindering agricultural and livestock production—most notably the rising costs of production inputs, difficulties in procuring animal feed, fertilizers, veterinary medicines, and vaccines, as well as challenges related to financing and distribution. Also discussed were imbalances affecting the price stability of local products and the ability of producers to remain viable and competitive.
Furthermore, the meeting explored the importance of establishing a framework to regulate the relationship between imports and local production. The objective is to ensure that imports do not operate in isolation from the needs of the agricultural sector, but rather serve as a complementary tool—one that accounts for production seasons, the volume of local supply, and market demand, while curbing practices that lead to market flooding or harm local producers.
The Minister emphasized the necessity of addressing the impact of the parallel market on farmers and breeders. He noted that it causes distortions in the pricing of animal feed, production inputs, and agricultural and livestock products—disrupting market equilibrium, driving up production costs, and undermining the competitiveness of local produce.
He emphasized the importance of coordination among the relevant authorities to establish clear mechanisms for importation, distribution, and oversight. He also highlighted the need to expand the role of the Agricultural Bank in providing financing, to regulate the distribution of fertilizers and animal feed, and to strengthen the monitoring of veterinary medicines—all with the goal of ensuring that production inputs reach those who are truly entitled to them.
The Ministry of Economy and Trade said this meeting is part of the broader initiative to build an integrated system that aligns import policies with the needs of local production. The objective is to support farmers and livestock breeders while safeguarding market stability, based on the understanding that achieving food security requires a transition from a reliance on imports toward a productive economy capable of meeting a larger share of local market demand.