Lebanese initiative to support struggling zaatar producers
Small-scale producers in Lebanon are struggling to stay in business due to harsh economic conditions, but projects like Mazeej are helping them to turn things around for the better.
BEIRUT — For many Lebanese, zaatar is an emblematic and essential element of their country’s cuisine. An herby mixture of thyme, sumac, sesame and salt, it is typically used as seasoning or mixed with olive oil to produce a tasty condiment for the equally Lebanese manouche.
Unfortunately, those who produce this widely consumed food face dire challenges. With Lebanon’s economy collapsing, exporting goods overseas is the only viable way to make a living in the agricultural businesses. Still, many struggle to meet the demands of international trade.
“Only the big producers are able to access [foreign] markets,” Mazeej project coordinator Nada Barakat told Al-Monitor. “The smaller ones cannot because they don't have enough quantity [or] the quality isn't very high. Most of [them] are not even registered at the Ministry of Industry.”
“The agri-food sector is oversaturated,” she explained. “[You cannot] go to the market with similar recipes or similar products. You need an identity, and so we created ‘mazeej’ – in Arabic, a ‘blend.’”
