Cycle of crises forces many farmers to abandon fields, says union leader

AMMAN — The overall difficult situation in the Kingdom, coupled with low demand for fruit and vegetables, put additional strain on Jordan Valley’s farmers, according to a stakeholder.

“The situation is just getting worse day by day, causing farmers to decrease their production,” Adnan Khadam, head of the Jordan Valley Farmers Union, told The Jordan Times on Monday. 

He said that farmers are increasingly becoming unable to afford agricultural production costs.

According to Khadam, Jordan Valley farmers are in need for “major support” in order to boost their performance and productivity, as well as to ensure the sustainability of Jordan’s agricultural sector.

“Investing in the Kingdom’s agricultural sector is crucial, especially during crises such as the ongoing pandemic,” Khadam said.

Nawash Al Yazjeen, a farmer from the Jordan Valley, told The Jordan Times that “more and more farmers are leaving farming as the situation has become “unbearable and distressing”.

The Jordan Valley farmers’ difficulties and challenges started back in 2012, when the Syrian borders were closed and the produce could not reach the Russian and European markets, Yazjeen said

Last year, the farmers experienced severe gust that destroyed thousands of greenhouses, causing grave losses, he said.

“Poverty is prevalent among farmers, but unfortunately now they prefer to leave this occupation than to suffer either from further production risks or from low demand,” Yazjeen said, adding that there are no efforts by the government to market agricultural products to international markets.

Although fruits and vegetables are basic necessities, demand for them has plummeted during the holy month of Ramadan, he said.