Amman – Apple farmers have warned of the repercussions of allowing Syrian and Lebanese apples to enter the Jordanian market at the current time, amid abundant local production and the continued marketing of Jordanian apples, coinciding with the approaching seasons for persimmons, clementines and oranges.
According to farmers’ estimates, large quantities of Jordanian apples remain available, with marketing expected to continue through October and November. They said allowing Arab apple imports would place additional pressure on Jordanian farmers, who are already struggling with high production costs and mounting losses.
Apple Imports Harm Farmers
Farmer Omar Al-Awdat said he currently has 300 tonnes of apples in cold storage. He noted that Syrian and Lebanese apple production is very high, while prices in export markets have reportedly reached around $0.20 per kilogram at the cold-storage facility, highlighting the level of competition Jordanian producers could face if large quantities enter the market.
He added that Lebanon produces more than 200,000 tonnes of apples annually, while Syria’s production is estimated at more than 170,000 tonnes.
Al-Awdat said the actual needs of the Jordanian market should be carefully assessed before any import decision is made to prevent an oversupply and a drop in prices that could cause significant losses to farmers.
He stressed that allowing imports while production costs remain high and large quantities of locally produced apples are still available would further increase the burden on farmers.
Weak Purchasing Power
Farmer Zuhair Samour said he has 250 tonnes of apples in cold storage and that purchasing power remains weak.
He warned that allowing Syrian and Lebanese apples into the market at this stage could flood the Jordanian market, particularly as the Kingdom still has local apple supplies and is preparing for the persimmon, clementine and orange seasons.
A sharp decline in fruit prices, he said, could make marketing local crops economically unviable and compound losses already suffered by farmers during the lemon and citrus seasons, with further losses expected in the clementine and orange seasons.
Samour also expressed concern about Syrian and Lebanese apples entering the market through unofficial channels. He called for tighter monitoring at border crossings and in markets, as well as verification of the origin, safety and quality of imported products to ensure fair competition and protect both consumers and Jordanian farmers.
Protecting Local Production
Farmer Issa Al-Tarawneh said he has 600 tonnes of apples in storage and called on the Ministry of Agriculture to adopt a clear position to protect local production.
He urged authorities not to allow Syrian and Lebanese apple imports while Jordanian production remains available and sufficient to meet market needs, particularly given the pressure farmers are facing from declining prices and rising production costs.
Farmers said that if an actual shortage emerges after the local production season ends, they would recommend allowing imports from European markets. They argued that higher prices and shipping costs for European apples compared with Syrian and Lebanese apples would limit their ability to compete with Jordanian produce and disrupt local marketing.
This would allow any market shortage to be addressed without placing additional pressure on Jordanian farmers or affecting local production prices, while maintaining compliance with approved health and quality standards.
The farmers stressed that protecting local production does not mean rejecting imports altogether. Rather, imports should be regulated according to agricultural seasons and actual market needs, while preventing additional supplies from flooding the market at a time when farmers are already facing successive losses.
They also called on the Ministry of Agriculture to stand by Jordanian farmers and balance market requirements with the interests of local producers, warning that continued market flooding during peak local production could threaten the sustainability of the agricultural sector and increase farmers’ economic burdens.
Balancing Local Production With Market Needs
Food security expert Fadel Al-Zoubi said weather conditions and climate change play a major role in determining the timing of Jordan’s apple harvest and the arrival of local produce in markets.
In previous years, the apple harvest in Mafraq sometimes began before August 1 and continued until around mid-September. However, changing weather and climate conditions have delayed fruit ripening and the start of harvesting to late August or early September, with the season extending into early October.
This has resulted in a later arrival of locally produced apples in the market.
Al-Zoubi said Mafraq and Al-Shobak are among Jordan’s main apple-producing areas, with combined annual production of around 15,000 tonnes.
The local market requires between 80 and 130 tonnes of apples per day, he said, adding that weather conditions directly affect the timing of crop ripening, harvesting and marketing.
He stressed the need to take the actual timing of local production into account when assessing market supply and making import decisions, in order to protect Jordanian farmers while maintaining a balance between domestic production and market needs.
Apple Imports Expected Next Month
An informed source told Al-Ghad that the Ministry of Agriculture is expected to open the door to imports of Arab apples on November 1.
Al-Ghad attempted to contact the Ministry of Agriculture’s Assistant Secretary-General for Agricultural Marketing and Quality, engineer Ayman Al-Awran, but received no response.
Source: Al-Ghad
