In comparison to July 2015, fruit and vegetables exports from Jordan fell by 27 percent in July 2016. The sharp decline in exports is attributed to successive heat waves that affected the Kingdom and led to a rise in the prices of vegetables and fruits, according to Assistant Secretary General of Agriculture Ministry for Marketing Salah Tarawneh.
The volume of exports last month stood at 72,800 compared to 100,000 in July 2015.
Tarawneh highlighted that the unseasonably high temperatures caused a drop in the yield of crops.
“The low production of crops in July resulted in low supply and thus prices surged on the local market. In addition, low production also resulted in lower exports,” Tarawneh added.
Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said that tomato crops across the country were most affected by the high temperatures, explaining its high price of JD0.85 per kilogramme on the local market.
“Also, tomato exports dropped by 25 per cent compared to the same period last year,” Haddadin said.
