The Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), Engineer Fathi Al-Jaghbier, confirmed that the World Bank's estimates regarding the national economy reflect confidence in its ability to sustain growth despite regional and international challenges.
اضافة اعلان
A report issued by the World Bank showed that the Kingdom will achieve economic growth reaching 3% by 2028, indicating that the national economy is continuing the upward trajectory it began last year, despite global economic challenges and regional political tensions.
According to the "Global Economic Prospects" report, the growth rate of the Jordanian economy is expected to reach 2.7% during the current year, before rising to 2.9% in 2027.
At a time when Middle East and North Africa economies are facing the repercussions of geopolitical tensions and high energy and shipping costs, Jordanian fertilizer exports emerge as a key factor capable of mitigating the anticipated economic pressures during the current year, according to the latest World Bank estimates.
The report pointed out that the rise in global fertilizer prices could provide partial compensation for Jordan through increased export revenues, at a time when energy-importing countries face challenges related to rising import costs and a slowdown in regional economic activity.
Al-Jaghbier told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that these estimates confirm the resilience of the national economy and the presence of productive sectors capable of continuing to support economic activity, even amidst the state of uncertainty facing the region.
He added that the World Bank's growth rate estimates align with the performance achieved by Jordanian industry in recent years, as it has become one of the most vital drivers of economic growth in the Kingdom.
He noted that the industrial sector currently contributes directly about 24% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a figure that rises to around 45% when factoring in direct and indirect effects. It also stands as the largest sector contributing to economic growth in recent years, accounting for nearly one-third of the achieved growth.
Al-Jaghbier emphasized that the importance of the industrial sector lies in its combination of production, export, employment, and investment. It provides jobs for approximately 271,000 workers, accounts for over 95% of national exports, and maintains extensive productive relationships and economic linkages with various production and service sectors, extending its economic impact across all facets of the national economy and reinforcing its role as a primary driver of economic growth and development.
He explained that the performance of Jordanian industry in recent years confirms its high capacity to adapt to global economic shifts and regional challenges, as industrial exports rose from around JOD 4.3 billion in 2018 to approximately JOD 9 billion during 2025.
He said this growth came in tandem with the expansion of the production base, an increase in the added value of industrial products, and a noticeable diversification in exported markets and products.
This gains additional importance in light of the continuous royal directives supporting the industrial sector, which were renewed during the recent meeting between His Majesty King Abdullah II and representatives of the industrial sector. His Majesty emphasized the importance of enhancing food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, localizing production inputs, and deepening industrial value chains to raise the competitiveness of Jordanian industry and increase its contribution to economic growth in the coming phase, which comes as an extension of the continuous royal attention to national industry.
He clarified that the fertilizer sector represents one of the most important industrial and export sectors in the Kingdom; therefore, any improvement in global fertilizer prices or increased demand reflects positively on national exports and revenues generated from the external sector.
He noted that Jordan benefits in this field from the comparative advantages it possesses in producing potash, phosphate, and their derivatives, in addition to accumulated industrial expertise and advanced export infrastructure.
He pointed out that the results of foreign trade during the first quarter of the current year demonstrated the importance of this sector in supporting export growth. Raw potash recorded the largest increase among exported industrial products, rising by approximately JOD 47 million compared to the same period last year, while fertilizers and related chemical products also supported the performance of national exports.
He explained that the growth witnessed by the fertilizer sector in recent years was not solely tied to rising global prices, but also resulted from a gradual shift toward producing and exporting more diversified products with higher added value, alongside expanding into export markets. Since the "COVID-19" pandemic, Jordanian fertilizer exports have recorded exceptional growth, with their value rising from around JOD 328 million in 2019 to JOD 1.137 billion last year, an increase exceeding 246%.
He pointed out that this performance reflects the success of Jordanian companies in developing new products, enhancing the competitiveness of their goods, and diversifying their export destinations, contributing to solidifying Jordan's position as a main supplier of fertilizers in regional and global markets.
He added that this transition has enhanced the sector's capability to penetrate new and non-traditional markets, particularly in Europe and Asia, reducing reliance on a limited number of traditional markets. It has also bolstered the sector's resilience against fluctuations in commodity markets and raised its contribution to supporting industrial exports and economic growth.
Al-Jaghbier stated that the importance of Jordanian industry today does not lie in the fertilizer sector alone, but in its success over recent years in building a more diversified export base in terms of products and markets. Product-wise, the number of industrial commodities whose exports exceed JOD 1 million rose from around 455 commodities in 2019 to more than 754 commodities in 2024, reflecting the expansion of the production base and the growing capability of Jordanian industry to produce and export value-added products across multiple sectors including chemical, pharmaceutical, food, engineering, mining, and garment industries, among others.
Geographically, the number of countries receiving Jordanian industrial exports exceeding JOD 1 million in value rose from 72 countries in 2019 to 93 countries in 2024, reflecting the national industry's success in diversifying its export markets and reducing reliance on a limited number of traditional markets.
He noted that the impact of this diversification was clearly evident during the first quarter of the current year, when Jordanian industrial exports managed to achieve a growth of 2.6%, exceeding JOD 2 billion, despite declines recorded in some of the largest traditional markets, such as the United States, India, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
In contrast, European and Asian markets led the growth of industrial exports, with Switzerland, China, and the Netherlands recording the highest increases in the value of Jordanian exports. This reflects the success of Jordanian industry in diversifying its export markets and reducing its dependence on a limited number of markets, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of national products and establishing their presence in global markets.
He indicated that these metrics confirm that Jordanian industry now possesses multiple growth drivers, and that the contribution of the fertilizer and mining industries comes within an integrated and diverse industrial framework that encompasses food, pharmaceutical, chemical, engineering, and garment industries, among others.
Al-Jaghbier stressed that Jordanian industry today possesses the capacity to continue supporting economic growth and increasing exports in the coming years, not only through traditional sectors but also via promising sectors that hold great opportunities for domestic and global expansion.
He said: "What reinforces these expectations is the presence of untapped export opportunities estimated at about $7.8 billion, reflecting the vast potential available for Jordanian products in global markets."
He added that many investment and export opportunities still require further utilization, especially in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries—sectors that received special attention during the recent meeting of His Majesty King Abdullah II with representatives of the industrial sector, where the importance of enhancing industrial value chains, localizing production inputs, and solidifying Jordan's status as a regional center for production and export was emphasized.
He continued: "With the continuous implementation of the Economic Modernization Vision's objectives, improving the industrial sector's competitiveness, and expanding into global markets, Jordanian industry possesses potential greater than current levels and is capable of playing a larger role in supporting economic growth, creating job opportunities, and increasing exports in the coming years."
He explained that the fertilizer manufacturing sector is considered one of the strategic industrial sectors in Jordan, given its pivotal role in supporting industrial exports and boosting foreign currency inflows, in addition to its direct link to global food security. The sector relies on a strong competitive base represented by the availability of raw materials, advanced infrastructure, and accumulated industrial expertise, which has enabled it to solidify Jordan's position as a regional and global hub in fertilizer production and export.
He noted that industrial indicators show the volume of existing production in the fertilizer manufacturing sector stands at about $1 billion, while the sector includes approximately 50 specialized industrial facilities operating in the production of fertilizers and their various derivatives.
He pointed out that the sector provides over 3,000 direct job opportunities, alongside indirect jobs related to transport, logistics, and supporting trade, and is characterized by a high level of added value.
He explained that the ratio of added value to existing production is about 69%, which is among the highest ratios across industrial sectors, reflecting the sector's capability to transform local resources into products of high economic value, and maximizing its contribution to the GDP.
He concluded: "Over the past years, the sector has maintained a positive performance supported by continuous global demand for fertilizers and agricultural production inputs, and by expanding into the production of more diverse and value-added products. Furthermore, global shifts related to food security have heightened the sector's importance and increased its growth opportunities in international markets, which supports its continued contribution to industrial growth and exports in the coming years." — (Petra)
