Agriculture Ministry affirms support for investors in food processing in Mafraq

AMMAN — Agriculture Minister Khalid Hneifat on Thursday affirmed the ministry's readiness to support investors in the field of fruit food processing in Mafraq Development Zone (MDZ), by leasing plots for five years free of charge and granting loans up to JD500,000 at a 2 per cent interest rate.

Touring a number of Smart Desert projects and food processing plants financed by Mafraq agricultural credit corporation, Hneifat said that the Agricultural Risk Fund (ARF) provided some JD4.7 million as compensation to affected farmers countrywide, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He noted that the financing plan for Mafraq's agricultural sector targets food manufacturing projects, especially since the packaging and refrigeration process helps marketing the local product globally.

The minister said that the plan would also support export efforts and competition with foreign products with a focus on packaging services, which would contribute to supporting promotion endeavours of the Jordanian-Palestinian Agricultural Marketing Company to enter global markets.

On the disbursement mechanism, he said that the loans are granted within the lending package targeting projects that achieve the sector's vision, production expansion and development.

In addition, the minister toured vegetable and fruit packaging facilities in Mafraq's Sabha region, which are financed by Agricultural Credit Corporation, with a low-to-zero interest loan, in addition to financing from the Smart Desert project.

Hneifat said the ministry is working, in accordance with the national plan for sustainable agriculture, and within the framework of adaptation to climate changes, and partnership with the private sector to support farmers to adapt to impacts of climate change by carrying out water harvesting programmes, water-saving techniques and modern agricultural technologies. 

Blumont Jordan Country Director Caroline Haddad said that the NGO, through the Smart Desert project, funded by the French Development Agency (AfD), supported more than 80 home-based business owners, including 32 agricultural home enterprises by installing modern agricultural equipment.

Through the Smart Desert project, the NGO is working to train home-based business owners to develop and market their products and provide the necessary support over several stages, Haddad pointed out.