Trade Ministry, JFDA sign memo to streamline import, inspection of wheat shipments

AMMAN — The Industry, Trade and Supply Ministry and the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) signed a memorandum of understanding to increase cooperation and streamline measures for the import and inspection of wheat shipments, according to a ministry statement issued Tuesday. 

The memorandum specifies procedures to increase transparency in the wheat import process and speed up measures and tests the shipments undergo in order to encourage traders to bid for the tenders issued by the ministry to maintain a safe strategic reserve of wheat. 

It also aims at diversifying the sources from which wheat is imported, the statement said, adding that a similar memorandum for barley will be signed with the Agriculture Ministry. 

The memo states that tests of shipments' quality and validity for human consumption are to be conducted in the Aqaba Port and the JFDA commits to issuing the results in four to six days, according to the statement.

Importers will be allowed to witness tests on the goods they import, the statement said, adding that the ministry or the importer will have the right to re-test the wheat at an objective local lab accredited by the JFDA, which will boost traders' trust in the accuracy of the examinations. 

The ministry called on importers to bid for the tenders it floats weekly to buy wheat, as its new measures are designed to address their fears, the statement said, noting that no importer has submitted bids for six tenders the ministry recently floated. 

Jordan imports a million tonnes of wheat and barley annually. 

The memo comes after the rejection of a 52,000-tonne Polish wheat shipment valued at JD15 million raised controversy earlier this year.

The JFDA insisted that the shipment, which has since been re-exported, does not meet standards, while the importers requested re-testing to prove it is in line with local standards. 

The importing company, Smart Solutions, requested re-conducting the tests, objecting to the JFDA’s testing procedures that “violated legal sampling and testing measures”. But the administration refused.