Henk Tepper was detained March 23 and is in a jail in Beirut, Lebanon. (CBC)

A Drummond, N.B., farmer who sells potatoes overseas is being detained in Beirut, Lebanon.

At 3,000 acres, Tobique Farms is one of the largest producers in N.B.

The man who runs the family-owned farm, Henk Tepper, was detained March 23 and is in a jail in Beirut, Lebanon.

"The family is taking it very hard. I know Berend, his father, he's not much around and very stressed. His wife is very stressed," said Tepper's brother-in-law, Mario leClerc.

"It's in the situation that we don't know much what's happening, we don't hear from him, no phone call, no nothing, no information from him. And everybody is starting to get stressed. And business-wise, we need him around," said leClerc.

Tepper sells primarily seed potatoes from his and other farms to Lebanon, Cuba, Venezuela and Russia.

Tepper's sister said he travels all the time and that it was a regular visit.

She said it's growing season in Lebanon, so Tepper was doing a follow-up on the potatoes he'd sold there.

New Brunswick Potatoes said few farmers from the province sell overseas because of the risks. Provincial Agriculture Minister Michael Olscamp said the situation rests in the hands of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

"We're concerned for him and the family. The case is international in flavour, so it's being handled by the Canadian federal agency, and through the Canadian consulate in Beirut, Lebanon," said Olscamp.

In the meantime, Tepper's family and friends wait anxiously.

"He's gone everywhere in the world, so you think it might not be true, but we haven't really heard the real, real story, so hopefully he'll be back soon," said neighbour Jacques Sirois.

Workers are also anxious. Planting season begins in May, and they say they need Tepper back.

CBC News did speak with Mike Allen, the MP for Tobique-Mactaquac. He would only say that foreign affairs officials in Beruit have spoken with Henk Tepper and that he is alright.