Jordan eases conditions for wheat tenders amid rising demand

AMMAN — Jordan has recently made changes to the terms and specifications of its wheat tenders to attract more bids amid a rise in wheat consumption in the Kingdom, a Trade Ministry official said Wednesday.

Under the new rules, Jordan raised the maximum level of sunn pest allowed in wheat shipments from 0.6 per cent to 0.8 per cent, according to the ministry official, who declined to be named. 

Sunn pest is an insect which feeds on wheat. The new terms allow the wheat to be treated for the pest at the origin, where the insects are found, the official added. 

“We made the changes to attract more bids from traders as over the past few months we did not get enough bids for our tenders,” the official explained.

Under the new rules, Jordan decided to adopt the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards for testing of non genetically modified wheat if the shipment contains live insects, weevils, larva and weeviled kernels, according to the official.

Fines were also reduced for shipments that do not meet specifications on protein dry gluten and the gluten index, said the official.

“Wheat consumption is rising in Jordan, and after the influx of more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees our consumption rose sharply,” he added.

Jordan’s consumption prior to the influx of Syrian refugees was at around 50,000 metric tonnes per month, but it currently stands at 80,000 metric tonnes per month.

“Our reserve of wheat is enough for almost a year,” the official added.