‘Produce exports up by 12.7% during first five months of this year’

AMMAN — Exports of fruits and vegetables during the first five months of this year grew by 12.7 per cent compared to the same period last year, Agriculture Ministry officials said on Tuesday.

The Kingdom exported 373,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to 44 countries between January and May, according to Salah Tarawneh, assistant secretary general for marketing and information at the ministry.

“During the same period last year, the Kingdom exported 331,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables, which means that our exports increased by 12.7 per cent this year,” Tarawneh told The Jordan Times over the phone.

He said the fresh fruit and vegetable exports generated JD215 million in revenues.

“During last month, the country exported a total of 75,700 tonnes of produce, of which 80 per cent was vegetables and 20 per cent fruits,” Tarawneh added.

The majority of the exported fruits and vegetables went to the Gulf countries, followed by Iraq, he said.

“Seventy-nine per cent of our produce exports went to the Gulf states, 11 per cent to Iraq, 9 per cent to Syria and Lebanon and 1 per cent to other countries,” Tarawneh noted.

According to Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin, tomatoes topped the list of exported vegetables.

“Tomatoes constituted 67 per cent of the exported vegetables, followed by lettuce, cauliflowers, bell peppers and eggplants,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

He added that peaches, melons and watermelons are among the main fruits exported during the summer.

“Peaches accounted for 46 per cent of the exported fruits, while melons and watermelons constituted 41 per cent,” Haddadin noted.