PM, traders discuss import procedures for wheat, barley

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday met with local wheat and barley importers, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

At the meeting also attended by Agriculture Minister Akef Zu’bi, Health Minister Ali Hiasat, Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) Director General Hayel Obeidat and Trade Ministry Secretary General Yousef Shammali — the importers briefed Ensour on the procurement operations and the lab tests required for the two grains. 

The importers underscored their interest in importing wheat and barley of international standard in order to safeguard public health and ensure a safe strategic reserve of the two commodities.

Jordan annually imports 1.8 million tonnes of wheat and barley in order to secure a stockpile sufficient for six months. 

Ensour stressed the need to allow importers to participate in taking samples from the shipment in cooperation with government authorities implementing the tests.

Obeidat said the JFDA allowed hundreds of shipments of wheat and barley into the Kingdom in recent years, denying entry to only two.

He noted that after a shipment from Poland was rejected, 14 shipments were allowed into Jordan.