‘Negotiations under way to open Russian market to Jordanian produce’

AMMAN — A Jordanian delegation is currently in Russia to negotiate opening the Russian market to the country’s agricultural exports, a government official said on Sunday.

The delegation, led by Agriculture Minister Akef Zu’bi, left for Russia late last week and is expected to return this week after concluding meetings with representatives of several Russian agencies, Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said.

“The delegation is there to address certain challenges to the export of our fruit and vegetables to Russia. The main challenge is the customs duties imposed by the Russian government on exports,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

He noted that the Jordanian delegation is negotiating with the Russian government to exempt Jordan’s agricultural exports from customs duties.

“The Russian government is interested in importing Jordan’s fruit and vegetables, because there is demand in the Russian market and because Jordanian agricultural produce is of a high quality,” Haddadin added.

The ministry announced in January this year its negotiations with Moscow to reach an agreement that opens the Russian market to Jordan’s agricultural produce.

Jordan eyes entry into the Russian market as a big and important step, since the Kingdom’s exports to Russia will be equal to all of its exports to Europe, Zu’bi said in previous remarks.

The planned agreement with Russia is also important because the country’s agricultural exports dropped due to the unrest in Syria and Iraq, according to the ministry, which said that tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and strawberries will be the main items exported to Russia.

Haddadin said agricultural exports to the Russian market are limited at the moment, noting that the Kingdom currently exports olive oil to the European country.