Gov’t mulls dried-tomato factory to turn overabundance into profit

AMMAN — The Ministry of Agriculture is considering the construction of a factory for the production of dried tomatoes in the Jordan Valley, a government official said on Wednesday.

The factory will be established in Ghor Al Safi, in the Jordan Valley, to the south of the Dead Sea, ministry's Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said.

Construction of the factory seeks to generate job opportunities in the Jordan Valley and make use of the surplus of tomato production, he noted.

"Tomatoes are widely produced in Jordan and it is one of the staple vegetables Jordanians consume daily. And, although 70 per cent of the Kingdom's exports of vegetables are tomatoes, there is an abundant surplus of tomatoes," Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

Construction of the factory seeks to put an end to the loss of tomatoes for farmers, who are left with an overabundance of the vegetable, despite exporting or selling tomatoes locally, he noted.

"The factory will be established under a partnership between the private and public sectors. A private Turkish agricultural company will be in charge of building the factory, in cooperation with the ministry," Haddadin explained.

The factory is expected to cost 1JD million, he indicated, noting that a total of 100 job opportunities for the local community are expected to be generated once the factory is operational.

"By this time next year, the factory is scheduled to be operational," Haddadin underscored.

A total of 500 tonnes of tomatoes are consumed daily in Jordan, the spokesperson said, noting that the vegetable is produced in several parts of the country, including the Jordan Valley and the highlands.

"Dried tomatoes are highly demanded abroad. The Turkish private company will be responsible for marketing the products," Haddadin explained.