Data show surge in Jordan’s imports of used cars

AMMAN – Imports of used cars into the Jordanian market surged by nearly 45 per cent during the first six months of this year over the same period of 2013 

Statistics, provided by the Jordan Free Zone Investors Commission (JFZIC) at The Jordan Times’ request, showed that a total of 29,394 second-hand cars were imported to the domestic market between January and June of this year, while in the first half of 2013 the number of imported used vehicles stood at 20,712. 

JFZIC President Nabil Rumman attributed the increase in imports of used cars to the rising demand in the domestic market as the average number of cars needed to cover annual demand is estimated at between 50,000 and 60,000 vehicles. 

In 2013, imports slowed down because of the government decision to impose a five-year age limit on cars allowed to enter the domestic market, Rumman remarked.

According to Rumman, over 60 per cent of the cars that entered the Jordanian market were manufactured in South Korea. 

He indicated that the number of cars that were re-exported from the free zone in Zarqa to some regional countries also rose, albeit slightly. 

The figures showed that in the January — June period of 2014 a total of 55,274 autos were re-exported, 2.5 per cent higher than the 54,085 cars shipped outside the Kingdom during the same period of last year. 

Rumman noted that the vast majority of re-exported cars go to the Iraqi market, indicating that intensive fighting between Sunni rebels and the Nouri Al Maliki government since June has caused a sharp decline in the exports to the Iraqi market. 

In May, nearly 11,000 cars were shipped to the Iraqi market while in June the number went down to 6,765, he said, adding that the average monthly exports to the Iraqi market used to be around 10,000 cars.