USAID Lebanon: From the American People
 

PRESS RELEASE

U.S. GOVERNMENT INAUGURATES OLIVE OIL COLLECTION CENTER IN MEJDLAYA

Friday, December 12, 2008

Beirut, Lebanon

Ambassador Michele J. Sison and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Lebanon Mission Director Denise A. Herbol attended the launching ceremony of the newly constructed Olive Oil Collection Center at the Rene Moawad Foundation’s Agricultural Center of the North in Mejdlaya.

USAID funded the Olive Oil Collection Center with a $977,394 grant.  The center features a fully-automated olive oil bottling facility as well as storage units to serve small and medium producers from the region. The center’s bottling facility can fill and cap 1,400 bottles per hour.  The USAID grant also funded the procurement of a truck equipped with a stainless steel container for the purpose of collecting olive oil from the producers and transporting it to the collection center.  More than 600 farmers will benefit from this center. The project was implemented in partnership with the Cooperative Housing Foundation and the Rene Moawad Foundation.

USAID has worked in Lebanon since 1951 and implemented development projects to benefit Lebanese citizens. With funds from the American people, USAID creates jobs, invests in youth and protects the environment.  USAID’s work reflects the strong friendship between the Lebanese and American people.