Produce exports drop by 11.3 per cent in 2015 — ministry

AMMAN — Fruit and vegetable exports dropped by 11.3 per cent last year compared to 2014, Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said on Wednesday.

The Kingdom exported 783,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables in 2015, compared to 888,000 tonnes in 2014, according to the ministry, which attributed the drop to the closure of the border with Syria last April.

“A total of 82.4 per cent of the agricultural exports were vegetables, with tomatoes constituting 65 per cent,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

Produce exports generated JD520 million in 2015, while revenues stood at JD550 million the previous year, ministry figures indicate.

The revenues in 2015 only dropped by 4 per cent compared to 2014 because exports of high-value fruit and vegetables increased, such as peaches, strawberries, dates and medicinal herbs, Haddadin underscored.

“The Gulf countries were the major importers of our fruit and vegetables last year, importing 83.2 per cent of the country’s produce. The Syrian and Lebanese markets followed with 6.6 per cent, while Iraq imported 5.2 per cent, Israel 3 per cent, European countries 1 per cent and other countries 1 per cent,” he said.

Agriculture Ministry data indicate that the Kingdom exported the highest amount of fruit and vegetables last July, amounting to over 100,000 tonnes and constituting 12.8 per cent of produce exported in 2015.