Amman: Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah emphasized the essential role of food importers and traders in maintaining a secure strategic stockpile of basic commodities and food products, identifying the sector as crucial due to its direct connection to national food security. During a meeting organized by the General Syndicate of Foodstuff Traders for its members, Qudah expressed the government’s commitment to fully support food traders, importers, and manufacturers to ensure a steady flow of goods into the local market at affordable prices, meeting citizens’ needs throughout the year without interruption.
According to Jordan News Agency, Qudah highlighted that the food trade sector is one of Jordan’s oldest economic sectors, signifying its longstanding importance within the country’s economy. He remarked that Jordan’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the sector’s efficiency, with traders and importers successfully supplying essential needs at a time when many countries encountered shortages.
Qudah emphasized that empowering the food trade sector is a shared national duty, with the government aiming to support the sector through a genuine public-private partnership to overcome challenges and maintain a stable commercial environment. He mentioned the formation of an executive committee, under the Prime Minister’s directives, which he chairs, including two ministers from the economic team, the president of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, and several chamber members.
The committee is responsible for regularly reviewing the conditions of the commercial and services sectors, addressing challenges, and developing practical solutions, noting that most challenges are procedural and can be quickly resolved. Qudah also stressed the need for sustained coordination between the government, the Syndicate, and food sector stakeholders to facilitate trade and ensure market stability, affirming the ministry’s commitment to enhancing cooperation mechanisms for the benefit of both traders and consumers.
President of the Foodstuff Traders Association Khalil Haj Tawfiq underscored traders, importers, and manufacturers’ commitment to supplying the local market with diverse and affordable food products, reflecting their national responsibility in reinforcing food security. He stated that the Association, established in 1973, remains a national institution devoted to public-private partnership and committed to promoting cooperation to achieve food security, a top national priority promoted by His Majesty King Abdullah II as a cornerstone of stability and sustainable development.
Haj Tawfiq noted the commercial sector’s high level of responsibility, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and called for further official support commensurate with the sector’s significant contribution to the national economy. He outlined procedural obstacles facing food traders, importers, and manufacturers, urging authorities to take swift action to enhance trade operations.
Haj Tawfiq added that the food trade sector is a major employer of Jordanian youth, providing jobs for tens of thousands and supplying around four million tons of food annually. With approximately 80 percent of food in Jordan being imported, he noted, the sector plays a critical national role. He concluded by affirming the sector’s partnership with the public sector in achieving food security and economic stability, emphasizing its high standards of transparency and credibility in meeting citizens’ needs and ensuring the consistent flow of essential goods.