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Farmers express ‘strong disappointment’ over absence of sector’s demands at first presser

By Hana Namrouqa - Jun 20,2018 - Last updated at Jun 20,2018

AMMAN — Agriculture sector leaders on Wednesday demanded that the new government “effectively engage” with the sector in a “real partnership” to overcome the challenges crippling agriculture in Jordan.

As they urged the government to revisit a number of “unfair” decisions, which they claimed brought the sector further down, they also criticised the government for failing to highlight its approach to addressing the sector’s woes in its first press conference on June 14.

Jordan Agricultural Engineers Association President Abdul Hadi Falahat on Wednesday condemned the absence of the sector’s problems and demands from the press conference that Prime Minister Omar Razzaz held on Tuesday.

“The various problems facing the sector need a mentality of true partnership that brings the government and sector representatives together to openly and positively discuss the sector’s priority topics,” Falahat indicated, calling on the government to arrange for a meeting with sector leaders to activate the role of the Higher Agriculture Council.

He, however, commended Minister of Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat remark on the sidelines of the press conference, where she announced the government’s plans to reconsider taxes levied on the sector by the previous government.

Meanwhile, Jordan Farmers Union director General Mahmoud Oran said that despite its short age in office, the government already seems no different from the previous one in ignoring the fact that agriculture is a main pillar of Jordan’s economy and the foundation of its food security.

Oran highlighted that 40 per cent of Jordan’s population rely either directly or indirectly on the agriculture sector as a source of income, highlighting that the many industries created to serve the agriculture sector are threatened to cease existing.

“Food processing is still in deep hibernation, we are still importing raw materials that are abundant in Jordan, such as raw materials to produce tomato paste when our farmers are throwing their tomato crops in the middle of the street in protest of low prices and lack of marketing solutions,” Oran told The Jordan Times.

The sector is facing many challenges, he said, noting that, in light of the ongoing closure of borders with Syria and Iraq, the government should promote Jordan’s agriculture, just as it promotes tourism.

The government must also tackle the issue of foreign workers in the sector and raising their fees, in addition to exempting farmers from interest rate of agricultural loans in light of the losses they endured over the past five years, he said, concluding “if the government succeeds in addressing two of the above mentioned issues, we will be thankful”.

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