‘Slight decrease’ in East Amman Industrial Zone exports recorded during first-third of 2017

AMMAN — East Amman Industrial Zone exports during the first third of 2017 slightly decreased, dropping from JD125 million to JD123 million, compared to the same period in 2016, according to a report based on the certificates of origin issued by the Amman Chamber of Industry. 

East Amman Industrial Investors Association’s (EAIIA) Chairman Iyad Abu Haltam said the slight decrease was partly due to the closure of some Arab markets, and efforts to counter the closure by exporting to Asian markets, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Monday.

Jordanian businesses have a high chance of entering non-traditional markets, especially in east Africa and in European countries, in order to compensate for the loss of traditional markets in Syria and Iraq, which need time to recover, Abu Haltam said, while calling for the drafting of a national programme to support exports targeting east African and EU countries. 

According to the report: Foodstuffs, agricultural and livestock  exports amounted to JD48 million, chemicals and cosmetics to JD22 million, engineering, electrical and information technology to JD 19 million, medical exports to JD13 million, packing, packaging, paper, cardboard and stationary to JD9 million and construction  exports to JD5 million.

The rest of the exports were in the wood, furniture, plastics and rubber industries, at a value of JD4 million, leather and knitwear at JD669,000 and mining industry exports at JD60,000.

The East Amman Industrial Zone is one of the oldest in the Kingdom; it includes 1,800 small and medium-sized facilities that provide 26,000 jobs to Jordanians, according to Petra.