Jordan's exports of foodstuffs, agricultural and animal products picked up by 8 percent in the first seven months of 2020 despite the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, according to data by the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI). In the January-July period, the Kingdom's food and agricultural exports, which reached 70 foreign markets, hit JD233 million compared with JD216 million in the same period of 2019, the data revealed. Further, the food processing and agricultural and animal products comprised 8.5 percent of the Kingdom's total exports in the reporting period, compared with 7.7 percent in the corresponding period of 2019.
According to the JCI, locally-produced foodstuffs cover about 65 percent of the Kingdom's total food supply, making this sector a mainstay of the nation's food security. Moreover, there are 2,645 food production and processing enterprises in the Kingdom, providing more than 50,000 jobs and holding fixed assets estimated at JD2 billion. During the COVID-19 crisis, Jordanian factories ensured the Kingdom arrives to self-sufficiency in a host of staples, including dairy products, table eggs and poultry, according to Jordan Chamber of Industry
Jitan stressed that the pandemic has offered the Kingdom a real opportunity to pursue self-reliance in the production of basic foods to avoid any shortage of any commodity, as several countries curtailed the exports of a number of commodities to supply their own markets. He pointed out that the pandemic helped establish a closer linkage between food industries on the one hand, and agriculture on the other hand, which will help achieve local food security and thrust the march toward the "state of production".Jitan added that the value of the annual output of the Jordanian food industries is estimated at JD4 billion, noting that the sector accounts for 43 percent of the added-value of whole industrial sector. Highlighting obstacles facing local producers, Jitan said they include the "distorted taxation" of some production inputs, high production costs, unfair competition from foreign imports, and the absence of a reciprocity policy with some neighboring countries. He called for activating the National Production Protection Law to shield the Jordanian industry against various forms of dumping and to ensure that it conforms to the local standards. Noteworthy, Jordanian food exports reach 70 countries, with Arab countries being the Kingdom's top trading partners, namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Iraq, in addition to the United States and some European Union countries.