The country has made progress in key areas, reducing its fiscal deficit from 10.3% of GDP in 2014, to 3.2% in 2016 and an estimated 2.5% in 2017. Real GDP growth has also seen improvement, rising from a 25-year low of 2% in 2016 to 2.2% the following year. Moving forward the focus is set to shift towards green and digital expansion in line with the country’s new mid-term economic agenda, the Jor
The agricultural sector in Jordan looks set to benefit from efforts to develop alternate export routes to replace those closed by the Syrian conflict. The industry is also pegged to see an influx of labour, as the Jordanian government and international stakeholders work to incorporate more Syrians into the local workforce. Adjusting to circumstances Despite high domestic production, food exports…
Farm exports in Jordan showed substantial growth in 2014, aided by foreign sales of vegetables, while deals with new markets and key investments in water irrigation are strengthening growth potential for future years. Jordan’s fruit and vegetable exports increased 12% year-on-year in 2014, according to official data, with the country exporting 888,000 tonnes of agricultural produce in 2014, compared…
Exports to Europe have been growing steadily in value terms over the medium to long term, although the bulk of Jordanian agricultural exports go to Arab states and the conflict in Syria has hindered sales to Eastern Europe. Jordan benefits from a number of advantages in supplying the European market, such as being able to grow crops year-round in the Jordan Valley, enabling it to fill seasonal…
Treatment. “However things should pick up, as GCC donors for example are interested in the wastewater treatment,” he told OBG. Indeed, foreign donors are already playing an important role. For example the US-backed Millennium Challenge Corporation is providing $93m of funding the expansion of the As Samra plant. The US Agency for International Development is also currently replacing a plant…
With benefits such as year-round favourable weather in the Jordan Valley, Jordan is self-sufficient in a wide variety of agricultural products and is a net exporter of many fruits and vegetables, making agriculture a substantial contributor to national trade. The kingdom is, however, one of the driest countries in the world and suffers from dwindling renewable freshwater resources. In recent years…
European countries pose a promising market for farmers, as the Jordanian climate is ideal for cultivation of out-of-season produce. The government has made resource conservation a priority and major projects are under way to improve network reliability. A number of initiatives have been implemented recently to increase the reliability of water sources, including a project to pump water from a southern…
The agricultural sector is becoming more modernised and export-oriented, with an emphasis placed on increasing output and quality, as well as nurturing niche areas. Despite a number of challenges, particularly regional unrest severely curtailing exports to and through Syria, Jordan is in a strong position to leverage its competitive advantages as an agricultural producer. One of the most pressing…
Interview: Jean Louis Chaussade What recommendations do you have for governments in the Middle East seeking to improve interstate water policy coordination? JEAN LOUIS CHAUSSADE: There are currently fewer than 2000 cu metres of freshwater resources per resident and per year in the Middle East, and by 2050 that number is expected to fall to under 500 cu metres. For instance, Jordan is frequently critically…
Interview: Mousa Al Jamaani How are the challenges associated with large-scale desalination projects being tackled in Jordan? MOUSA AL JAMAANI: There are several desalination ventures with considerable potential. However, they exceed current financial and energy resource capacities. The kingdom is working to attract sufficient foreign investment and private sector participation to support acquiring…