From the floors of local factories, Jordan continues to shape a new era of industrial and commercial presence, driven by a clear Royal Vision for a more open and competitive economy.
اضافة اعلان
With national exports rising by 8% by the end of August, the public and private sectors demonstrate a shared determination to turn challenges into opportunities by diversifying markets and products, and leveraging a broad network of free trade agreements that serve as gateways for Jordanian industries to reach global markets.
From China to Africa, and from Arab to Asian markets, experts speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) emphasized the importance of measured openness that redefines Jordan’s position on the export map—anchored in the ability of local products to carry the name of the Kingdom worldwide with proven competitive quality.
According to the Department of Statistics’ monthly foreign trade report, the value of national exports increased by 8% from the beginning of this year until the end of August, while re-exported goods rose by 4.8%, leading to an overall 7.7% increase in total exports compared with the same period last year.
The coverage ratio of total exports to imports stood at 51%, up from 50% in 2024, reaching a total export value of 6.71 billion dinars, of which 6.098 billion were national exports and 612 million were re-exports, while imports totaled 13.156 billion dinars.
Expanding Export Horizons
Chairman of the Jordan Exporters Association, Senator Ahmad Khudari, said that increasing and diversifying exports is among the government’s top priorities, aiming to reach more global markets and strengthen the presence of Jordanian products abroad.
He noted that Jordan enjoys a wide network of free trade agreements—including with the United States, Canada, Singapore, and the European Union (through the simplified Rules of Origin agreement), in addition to the Greater Arab Free Trade Area. These agreements, he said, form an essential foundation for expanding national exports.
Khudari highlighted China as a key market of focus, being one of the world’s largest and most promising destinations—especially for Jordanian food products. He called for the signing of a formal protocol between Jordan and China to facilitate the legal and organized entry of Jordanian goods into the Chinese market.
He also pointed out the government’s serious efforts to enter African markets, even though Jordan is not a member of COMESA or the African Union, citing ongoing initiatives to open trade channels with several African countries, which represent promising opportunities for Jordanian products.
Khudari stressed that the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply fully understands the importance of market diversification, as any market could close for various reasons, making it crucial to maintain multiple alternatives to ensure export continuity.
He added that trade missions to various countries are an effective tool to strengthen Jordan’s presence abroad, alongside efforts to sign new agreements—such as the Eurasian Economic Union Agreement (with Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Armenia)—which, despite being challenging markets to enter, offer vast opportunities once established.
Khudari also emphasized the importance of expanding free trade agreements with countries such as China, even if limited to a set of around 100 goods in exchange for tariff exemptions, especially since the trade balance heavily favors China, which is now encouraging imports to reduce its trade surplus.
He noted a growing Chinese interest in Arab cuisine, with Lebanese restaurants serving hummus, falafel, and shawarma becoming popular among Chinese customers—about ten times more numerous than Arab patrons—indicating a real opportunity for Jordanian food products in the Chinese market.
Structural Export Challenges
Tamim Al-Qasrawi, Vice President of the Amman Chamber of Industry, stated that Jordanian exports face three main challenges: product concentration, market concentration, and the limited number of exporting companies.
He explained that only about 21 products account for 78% of total exports, showing a high concentration in product types. Likewise, 80% of exports go to a handful of countries, making Jordan’s export activity vulnerable to changes in those markets.
He noted that the number of companies capable of exporting remains limited, posing a challenge to expanding Jordan’s global presence.
Addressing these challenges, he said, requires broadening the export base by studying international market opportunities, identifying high-growth products, and supporting companies that can capitalize on them—particularly those with high value-added or technology-based production.
He called for specialized export-readiness programs to train companies in proper pricing, technical certification requirements, and organizational structures that enable them to enter foreign markets confidently.
Al-Qasrawi underscored the importance of diversifying export markets, stressing that reliance on traditional destinations like Arab countries, the U.S., Canada, and Singapore is no longer sufficient, and that Jordan must target African and other emerging markets with strong growth potential.
He praised recent export support programs and trade exhibitions, which have positively impacted Jordan’s external market presence through public-private partnerships and the efforts of the Industrial Development Fund.
Calls for Structural and Legislative Reforms
Industrialist and businesswoman Lina Hindileh urged a set of measures to boost Jordanian exports and competitiveness, including strengthening the role of trade missions and embassies abroad, which are vital for market access and promoting national products.
She also emphasized the need to simplify government procedures, reduce export-related costs such as transportation, taxes, and fees, and ensure stability in legislation and economic policies to foster a secure environment for exporters.
Hindileh called for encouraging value-added industries, supporting innovation and R&D, and promoting Jordanian products through international exhibitions and targeted trade missions.
She further highlighted the need to develop land, sea, and air transport networks, enhance regional port connectivity, and establish digital platforms to promote Jordanian exports globally.
Expressing optimism, she said Jordan’s export growth prospects are increasing, reflecting confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to expand its global footprint in the coming years.
Economic Perspective
Economist Mohammad Al-Bashir called on the government and parliament to implement comprehensive tax reforms, particularly on sales tax, which is imposed on most goods and services and directly increases local production costs—affecting both consumers and exporters.
He added that high energy costs and interest rates continue to burden Jordan’s industrial sector, negatively impacting competitiveness and expansion capacity abroad.
Al-Bashir stressed that managing these cost drivers effectively will significantly raise Jordan’s export volume, which already recorded an 8% increase despite regional and global challenges.
He noted that the current regional conditions, global price hikes, rising transport costs, and the ongoing aggression on Gaza have all affected regional trade flows, with Jordan feeling both direct and indirect impacts.
Nevertheless, he affirmed that Jordan’s industrial sector has shown resilience and adaptability, describing the growth achieved as a testament to its strength, and concluding that continued economic reforms and cost reductions will further enhance growth and export competitiveness in the next phase.
— (Petra)
