AMMAN — Food importers and traders confirmed that the Kingdom maintains comfortable strategic reserves of basic food commodities despite regional instability and its impact on supply chains and prices.
اضافة اعلان
In statements to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), stakeholders expressed their commitment to maintaining safe and sufficient food stocks to ensure market stability and meet citizens' needs without interruption. They emphasized the importance of streamlining customs procedures, prioritizing food clearance, and providing low-interest financing from banks to increase imports from currently available markets.
Alternative Supply Routes
Importers noted several options to replenish strategic stocks and reduce costs, including sourcing from the EU and Turkey, and utilizing the Syrian Port of Lattakia for overland transit to the Kingdom.
Hamza Al-Halayqa, CEO of Modern Al-Mashreq for Catering, stated that the food stock is currently stable. He stressed the need for expedited border procedures and prioritizing food shipments during this period.
Meat and Poultry Outlook
Frozen and chilled meat importer Jamal Al-Aqqad reassured that red meat stocks are reassuring and sufficient for current demand. He noted that Jordan has multiple alternatives to traditional markets, including South Africa, Ethiopia, and chilled Australian lamb.
Logistics and Price Stability
Tariq Khoury, a food importer and board member of the General Association for Food Merchants, stated there is "no cause for concern." He confirmed that containers are arriving at the Port of Aqaba without issues and predicted that prices would remain stable without significant increases in the coming months.
Vegetable Oils and Global Pressures
On the other hand, Raed Al-Takrouri, CEO of Al-Bihar Industrial and Commercial Group, noted that while vegetable oil stocks are at normal levels, "continued or escalating conflict will put pressure on prices and supply chains."
Jordan consumes between 170,000 and 190,000 tons of vegetable oils annually. Al-Takrouri pointed out that prices had already risen earlier this year due to low production and increased demand, with further hikes in the past two weeks driven by regional war and higher freight and insurance costs. Jordan sources these oils from diverse markets including Egypt, Ukraine, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Recommendations for Resilience
Eng. Jamal Amr, representative of the food sector in the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, confirmed that stocks of sugar, rice (medium-grain and Basmati), and legumes are in good shape. However, he noted that vegetable oil stocks require rapid replenishment.
To enhance food security, experts recommended:
Opening warehouses and free zones for free storage for six months.
Postponing customs duties and sales tax until after the sale of goods.
Providing low-interest financing ceilings to empower importers to bolster local reserves.
Facilitating handling and clearance at Aqaba and all land crossings.
