The Jordanian government has issued a decree specifying types of fruits and vegetables to be imported from Syria, prohibited the entry of other items. A spokesman for Jordan’s Agriculture Ministry, Lawrence al-Majali, said in a statement to the Jordanian news that the Ministry is currently permitting grapes, apples, and carrots to be imported from Syria to Jordanian markets in small quantities.
Al-Majali added that that Ministry has prohibited the import of citrus fruits, olive oil, tomatoes, and cucumbers from Syria, explaining that these are already available in large quantities and at low prices in Jordan’s domestic market.
The new decree has come within the context of a ban in Jordan on importing foodstuffs where local production is protected. The order has been circulated at Jordan’s land border crossings, and particularly at the Jaber-Nassib crossing with Syria.
Several days previously Jordan began to tighten control over the entry of agricultural products from Syria via the Nassib border crossing. This came shortly after Jordanian citrus fruit farmers protested over what they called “illegal” imports coming from Syria.
According to english.enabbaladi.net¸ the Agriculture Ministry said that it had issued instructions to the border crossing that such products should not be imported except after the completion of the required import licensing procedures, in accordance with the country’s laws.
