Assistant Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, Qusai Bani Mustafa, said that Jordan, like other countries around the world, has been affected by international disruptions that have impacted the prices of essential goods, noting that rising shipping and transportation costs played a direct role in increasing the prices of some imported products.
Speaking to Al Mamlaka on Tuesday evening, Bani Mustafa said: “The world has become like a single village, and any disturbances in any region directly or indirectly affect various countries,” stressing that Jordan is not isolated from these effects, especially regarding increased maritime transport costs.
He explained that these developments pushed prices of certain commodities upward, but government measures helped maintain market stability and keep prices within normal ranges.
Bani Mustafa pointed out that some products experienced notable price increases during the past period, particularly meat and cooking oils, describing them as among the commodities most sensitive to global fluctuations.
Regarding oils, he said signs of price increases began late last year due to events in Ukraine, including attacks on oil storage facilities. The increases later intensified with rising regional tensions, higher shipping fees, and increased production input costs, including plastic materials used in packaging.
As for meat prices, he explained that the increases stemmed from rising prices in source countries, driven by higher feed costs, transportation expenses, and fuel prices, all of which affected the final consumer price.
He also noted that disruptions in air traffic across the region, particularly in the Gulf, reduced supplies of certain air-imported meat products, contributing to lower availability and higher prices.
Bani Mustafa emphasized that while these external factors have pressured the prices of some goods, the local market remains relatively stable thanks to government measures.
