Fathi Al-Jaghbier, Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), confirmed that the new production base for industrial exports has become more diversified and capable of producing non-traditional goods, expanding the overall export framework.
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He stated that this performance relies on a broad production base of around 2,500 industrial products exported to 150 countries worldwide. This effort is led by an industrial sector comprising over 18,000 facilities that have generated 271,000 direct job opportunities.
According to Al-Jaghbier, the production capacity of Jordanian industry is estimated at around 18 billion dinars annually. The sector contributes about 24% directly to the GDP, and this share rises to around 42% when accounting for both direct and indirect impacts, reflecting industry's central role in creating value, supporting economic growth, and strengthening the trade balance.
He explained that Jordanian industrial exports have undergone a clear structural transformation in recent years. Export growth no longer relies on a limited number of goods or traditional markets as it did in the past. Instead, it is built on a more diversified and expansive production base in terms of products, industrial sectors, and target markets.
He noted that this shift reflects the development of the industrial sector regarding its production capacities, the rising quality of its products, and its ability to compete and respond to global market demands, alongside its flexibility in dealing with regional and international changes.
Al-Jaghbier pointed out that industrial exports rose from around 4.6 billion dinars in 2019 to over 8.9 billion dinars last year, accounting for more than 92% of total national exports. Meanwhile, the coverage ratio of industrial exports to imports reached 43%, marking the highest value for industrial exports in the Kingdom’s history.
He stressed that this growth holds special significance because it is supported by an expanding base of exporting products and sectors, alongside an increased contribution from a larger number of industries to this growth. This reflects successful efforts to boost the competitiveness of Jordanian products, enhance their global market access, and build a more resilient and sustainable export base.
"The features of this transformation are clearly evident through the significant expansion of the commodity base of Jordanian exports," he said. "The number of goods whose annual export value exceeded one million dinars rose to 754 commodities last year compared to 455 commodities in 2019. This means more than 300 new goods have joined the list of products with an actual presence in foreign markets."
He added, "The number of commodities with exports exceeding 10 million dinars nearly doubled from 66 to 121 commodities during the same period, while the number of commodities with exports exceeding 50 million dinars rose from 13 to 25."
According to Al-Jaghbier, the number of goods with exports exceeding 100 million dinars increased from 7 to 10. These indicators do not just mean an increase in the number of commodities; they confirm that many Jordanian products have moved into large-scale commercial production, securing a sustainable presence in global markets.
He clarified that this shift was not limited to product diversification but also extended to foreign markets. Jordanian industry successfully expanded into new markets by leveraging free trade agreements, trade missions, international exhibitions, and market studies.
He noted that this led to a broader export market base. The number of markets where export values exceeded 100 million dinars rose from 9 markets in 2019 to 13 markets in 2025.
Additionally, the number of markets exceeding 50 million dinars rose from 17 to 28; those exceeding 10 million dinars grew from 35 to 54; and markets exceeding one million dinars increased from 72 to 93. This confirms the success of Jordanian industry in diversifying its export destinations and boosting its global reach.
He stated that these data reflect the transition of Jordanian industry from relying on a limited number of traditional products to a more diversified production base. This base includes pharmaceuticals, chemicals, fertilizers, value-added food industries, engineering and electrical industries, medical supplies, packaging, and many specialized industrial products that continue to see steady export growth.
He noted that non-traditional products helped expand this base, such as lubricants, organic chemical products, copper and its articles, cement, and prepared animal feed. These products highlight the evolving capacity of Jordanian industry to produce more specialized, high-value goods.
He emphasized that these results did not happen by chance but resulted from continuous work and efforts that integrated government policies with initiatives from the industrial sector, the Jordan Chamber of Industry, and partner entities.
"Over the past years, industrial chambers have intensified participation in international industrial exhibitions and trade missions, and organized B2B meetings between Jordanian companies and importers in target markets," he said.
He added, "Specialized programs were also implemented to promote Jordanian products abroad by targeting major commercial markets, organizing mutual visits, and running support programs for industrial companies to access these large market-share destinations, which offer vast opportunities for Jordanian products."
He continued, "Furthermore, market and export opportunity studies were prepared, and specialized databases on market access requirements and technical barriers were provided, alongside supporting industrial companies in obtaining the international certificates and specifications needed to enter global markets."
He pointed out that industry support programs helped boost the export capacity of industrial companies. Chief among these is the Industry Support Fund, which focused on raising company competitiveness, modernizing production lines, enhancing productivity, and supporting export-related activities, enabling many industrial firms to expand abroad and increase exports.
He also highlighted the contribution of the National Export Strategy in directing efforts toward promising markets, raising company export readiness, and maximizing benefits from free trade agreements, while providing specialized market information and access requirements. These efforts align directly with the goals of the Economic Modernization Vision.
He explained that the Economic Modernization Vision gave the industrial sector special priority as the primary driver of economic growth by working to double national exports, increase industrial value-added, deepen local manufacturing, stimulate industrial investment, and create more jobs, thereby strengthening Jordan's position as a regional industrial and export hub.
Al-Jaghbier noted that Jordanian industrial exports recorded a 9.1% growth during the first third of this year, reaching 2.8 billion dinars compared to 2.5 billion dinars during the same period in 2025. This marks the highest level of industrial exports for this specific period in recent years.
He explained that this growth was not confined to a single sector or market but included all industrial sub-sectors without exception, reflecting a broad export growth base and boosting national industrial competitiveness. This growth occurred despite a decline in exports to some traditional markets that previously held the largest share.
He noted that foreign market data showed clear success in diversifying export destinations. Switzerland recorded the largest increase in the value of Jordanian industrial exports by 118 million dinars, followed by China with an increase of 138 million dinars, Thailand with about 45 million dinars, Syria with about 101 million dinars, the Netherlands with 57 million dinars, and Belgium with an increase of 42 million dinars.
He stressed that these figures clearly demonstrate the success of Jordanian industry in making new breakthroughs across geographically diverse markets, avoiding reliance on a single market or region. This enhances the resilience of national exports and their ability to withstand economic and geopolitical fluctuations.
According to Al-Jaghbier, garments and clothing accessories continued to lead the list of industrial exports, valued at 517 million dinars during the first third of this year, followed by crude potash at 220 million dinars, and pharmaceutical preparations at 184 million dinars.
He said, "At the same time, some products recorded exceptional growth rates, most notably lubricants at 4,085%, organic chemical products at 938%, copper and its articles at 89%, and cement at 84%."
The Chamber Chairman expects the pace of this transformation to accelerate further with the implementation of the Economic Modernization Vision goals, which place industry at the forefront of sectors capable of leading economic growth and increasing exports.
"The coming years are expected to see an expansion in high-value-added industries, an increased contribution from technology- and innovation-based industries, deeper local manufacturing, and further diversification of products and markets to boost the global competitiveness of Jordanian industry," he said. He added, "The export potential of Jordanian industry remains much larger than current levels, with untapped export opportunities estimated at over 7.7 billion dollars, confirming ample room to double exports in the coming years."
He stated that chemical industries hold the largest share of these opportunities at 2.9 billion dollars, followed by engineering at 1.5 billion dollars, mining at 1.1 billion dollars, leather at 918 million dollars, and therapeutics at 626 million dollars.
He pointed to other promising opportunities in the food, plastic, packaging, construction, and wood industries, which serve as a roadmap to guide industrial investments, boost trade promotion efforts, and expand into markets with high demand for Jordanian products.
Al-Jaghbier concluded that in recent years, Jordanian industry has transitioned from relying on a limited number of products and markets to a more mature phase based on diversifying commodities, expanding the production base, and opening up to new markets. This represents a strategic path expected to deepen and accelerate in the coming years, reinforcing the industry's role as a primary engine for economic growth.
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