Major food crisis looms in Lebanon, FAO warns

ROME, July 25 (Reuters) A major food crisis is looming in Lebanon, where fighting between Israeli forces and Hizbollah guerrillas has destroyed roads and bridges and forced people to abandon their crops, the UN food agency said today.

Insecurity and damaged infrastructure have interrupted the food supply chain in a country that relies on imports for around 90 percent of its cereal needs, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said.

What little is produced on the ground is also likely to be affected because some of the crops are in areas where fighting is taking place, it said in a statement.

FAO had expected Lebanon's total cereal output to reach 145,000 tonnes this year, but said it would probably have to cut that forecast.

''These factors combined provide the recipe for a major food crisis,'' said Henri Josserand, Chief of FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System.

''Food, fuel and medical supplies have been disrupted by the fighting, and large parts of the country's infrastructure lie in ruins,'' he said.

Lebanon depends heavily on imports of essential food items like wheat, rice, sugar and milk powder. Two weeks of fighting have displaced an estimated 500,000 Lebanese, and a further 200,000 are believed to have fled to neighbouring countries.

FAO said that even before the conflict, the Lebanese economy had been struggling with low foreign investment, a worsening balance of payments and an external debt estimated in 2005 at 165 percent of gross domestic product.

The UN yesterday launched an appeal for nearly 150 million dollars to help the affected populations with food, health care, water and sanitation.

REUTERS MQA PM2316