Trade minister hails role of foodstuff importers, traders

AMMAN — Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Shamali on Saturday commended the role of foodstuff importers and traders in securing the Kingdom's needs for food and basic items and supporting the strategic reserves. 

During a visit to the General Association for Foodstuffs Merchants of Jordan (GAFJO), Shamali praised the association’s efforts in providing food items to the local market at reasonable prices for citizens, despite the challenges facing international supply chains, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Head of GAFJO Khalil Hajj Tawfiq expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of the ministry in following up on all issues of the foodstuff sector, which is a fundamental sector in realising food security. 

During the meeting several issues related to the sector were discussed. These included the necessity of establishing terms and conditions for opening shops, mainly hypermarkets and supermarkets. Additionally the meeting discussed organising payment periods and developing financial solutions with reduced interest rates for food importers in cooperation with the Central Bank of Jordan.

The foodstuff sector is among the primary commercial sectors in the Kingdom, encompassing 14,000 companies, including importers, wholesale traders and retailers across the country.