‘Imported goods major hurdle for national industries’

AMMAN — Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) President Senator Ziad Homsi said that around 61 per cent of Jordan’s imports are exempted from custom duties under trade agreements in which some commodities negatively affect the national industries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Friday.

During a press conference organised by the “Made in Jordan” campaign, Homsi said that national industries are “suffering from imported goods flooding the local market”. 

Homsi added that national industries should be protected and called for enacting legislation that enhances their competition in the local market. National products are the “lifeboat” and “safety valve” of the economy as they create jobs and support foreign currency reserves.

Homsi said that the national industries have increased their exports from $1 billion in 1998 to $7 billion last year and their products have reached more than 125 countries despite the regional conditions imposed on the industrial sector along with domestic challenges.

Homsi stressed that the national products are of high quality and highly competitive in the local and foreign markets, adding that national industries contribute to around 25 per cent of the gross domestic product and employ nearly 250,000 people who are the main family supporters of more than 1 million.

President of the “Made in Jordan” campaign and board member of the ACI Musa Saket said that the campaign was launched a few years ago by the chamber to serve and promote the national industries by enhancing consumer confidence in national products.