The Ministry of Industry (MoI) officially launched an industrial city project in Terbol, Zahle. Terbol is classified as an industrial zone. The land for the project is owned by the municipality. It stretches over two million square meters.

Michel Daher, Director of the industrial cities commission at the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI), said: “A project for land use planning will be tendered. Rock aggregates that will be extracted from the land will be sold to build the infrastructure.” He said that industrialists will build their own facilities.

The MoI and ALI allocated $135,000 to conduct the required studies. The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) will grant tax exemptions to industrialists who will build factories in this project. “These incentives will encourage industrialists who own factories in urban areas to relocate to rural areas, so they can benefit from the low cost of leasing and wages,” said Daher. Hundreds of industrialists have so far requested to build facilities within the city, according to him.

Industrialists will benefit from long-term leases at a low price reaching $0.25 per square meter per year. Daher said: “This way, industrialists can save on rent and use their capital to buy equipment and increase production capacity.”

The city will include residential units, schools, and retail outlets for occupants.

Daher said: “Terbol’s industrial city will be the largest economic project in the Bekaa. It will create thousands of jobs. The agricultural sector will also benefit due to the agro-food establishments that will be built in the city.”

Factories operating within the industrial city will commit to international environmental and health standards.