Jordan’s national exports have continued their upward trajectory since the beginning of the year, overcoming numerous challenges stemming from political and security tensions in the region, disruptions to supply chains and higher shipping costs.
اضافة اعلان
The increase in national exports during the first half of the year points to a broader presence of Jordanian products in non-traditional regional and global markets, alongside a decline in the trade deficit.
National exports rose by 6.2% during the first half of the year to JOD 4.667 billion, while re-exports increased by 44.6% to JOD 1.747 billion. Total exports consequently reached JOD 6.414 billion, up 14.5% from the same period last year.
According to data from the Department of Statistics, total exports covered 63% of imports during the first half of this year, compared with 58% during the same period in 2025, marking a five-percentage-point improvement.
Economic experts told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the export performance during the first half of the year provides positive and encouraging indications of the export sector’s ability to expand and reach new markets.
They stressed that sustaining this trend will require strengthening the added value of exports and diversifying both products and markets, which would support sustainable export growth and generate a greater impact on domestic production.
University of Jordan economics professor Dr. Raad Al-Tal said foreign trade data for the first half of the year reflected positive developments in the national economy, with exports rising 6.2% and total exports increasing by around 14.5%, while the trade deficit declined by 5.5%.
He said these indicators collectively reflect an improvement in the economy’s ability to generate revenues from foreign trade and narrow the gap between exports and imports.
Al-Tal attributed the developments partly to greater diversification in Jordan’s export markets and opportunities. Exports to China rose by 71.6%, while exports to the European Union increased by 36.5%, those to Syria by 36.4%, and exports to non-Arab Asian countries by around 19.7%.
He said the increase demonstrates the ability of Jordanian exports and products to reach new markets, highlighting significant opportunities for the export sector to expand further and diversify its market base.
These developments, he added, reinforce Jordan’s position as a regional trade hub and demonstrate the ability of Jordanian industry to compete in international markets, strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy and its integration into regional and global markets.
Economic researcher Dr. Ahmad Al-Majali said foreign trade data for the first half of the year showed a positive trend in Jordanian exports. However, he stressed that the improvement should be assessed not only by growth rates but also by the composition of exports, their destination markets and the sustainability of the growth.
Al-Majali highlighted market diversification as a key positive development. Exports to Syria increased by 36.4%, Iraq by 16.3%, China by 71.6% and the European Union by 36.5%.
He said the figures reflect changes in the geographical distribution of exports and underscore the importance of maintaining traditional markets while expanding into new destinations.
Regarding the composition of exports, Al-Majali noted that growth was concentrated in clothing, fertilizers and raw potash. Potash exports rose by 30.7%, while fertilizer exports increased by 14.1%.
This indicates that part of the growth remains linked to primary or semi-processed commodities, he said, highlighting the need to increase the share of higher-value-added exports.
Al-Majali also pointed to a sharp increase in trade activity in June, when total exports jumped 32.3% year-on-year, national exports rose 12.5%, and re-exports surged by 137.5%.
He said the monthly jump warrants further monitoring to determine whether it signals the beginning of sustained acceleration in export activity or is instead linked to temporary factors or exceptional shipments.
Imports, meanwhile, increased by an even larger 43.5% in June. For the first half of the year as a whole, however, the overall picture remained more balanced, with the trade deficit falling by 5.5% and the export-to-import coverage ratio improving from 58% to 63%.
Academic and economic expert Dr. Ghazi Al-Assaf said export figures for the first half of the year were generally positive, with national exports increasing by 6.2% and re-exports rising by more than 44%.
He noted that part of the increase in national exports was driven by higher prices, alongside growth in export volumes, adding that more than half of the increase was attributable approximately to fertilizers and potash.
Al-Assaf said the agreement with the United States reached in July is expected to support Jordanian exports to the U.S. market. He anticipated a positive impact on exports and bilateral trade during the second half of the year, particularly following the agreement on customs duties.
Regarding the trade deficit, Al-Assaf said it declined by around JOD 226 million, noting that non-oil imports fell, with the largest decline recorded in machinery, equipment and technology-related goods, at approximately 23.6%.
He stressed that the decline was primarily related to capital and investment goods rather than consumer goods. Therefore, the improvement in the trade balance should be assessed in light of the composition of imports.
The decline in machinery and equipment imports may have contributed to the improvement in the trade balance without necessarily indicating stronger investment activity, Al-Assaf said, while consumer goods imports increased.
Source: Petra
