Kingdom's chemical, cosmetics industries meet 79% of local needs — Stakeholder

AMMAN — The Kingdom's chemical and cosmetics industries sector is a "major" driver of innovation and sustainability within the national economy, as a main priority and high-value industry in the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV).

The sector covers 79 per cent of the local market size, as many of its products achieved "full self-sufficiency" during COVID-19 pandemic crisis, especially detergents, sterilisers and disinfectants, while its products are sold in 112 markets globally.

The sector's representative in the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) Ahmad Biss, said the chemical and cosmetics industry is a "major" pillar of Jordan's industries and a "main" supplier to meet the local market's needs, according to a statement to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday.

Biss added that most products have become in direct contact with citizens' lives through end-use items, mainly detergents, sterilisers, disinfectants, cosmetics and others. 

He noted that the sector plays an "important and strategic" role in the national economy and has "diverse and large" production capabilities to meet needs of the local market with the required quality and quantities and "significantly" In a statement to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday,  its export levels.

The EMV aims to raise the added value of the sector's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 7 per cent annually, or about JD0.8 billion during the coming years, from JD0.6 billion in 2021 to about JD1.4 billion in 2033, Biss pointed out.

He indicated that the EMV also aims to enhance employment levels in the sector by creating more than 23,000 full-time jobs in the coming years and increasing its exports by 11.4 per cent to reach JD5.4 billion in 2033.

He noted that the EMV has launched several initiatives to advance the sector to "higher" levels, mainly establishing a chemical industries complex.

He noted that under the EMV, a research, development and innovation centre for the Kingdom's potash and phosphate value chain and commercial exploitation opportunities would be launched, while building a detailed strategy for manufacturing various potash and phosphate products.