Gov’t warns against importing citrus to protect local produce

AMMAN — The Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday warned against issuing licences to import citrus, in order to protect the local produce.

On the sidelines of opening the fifth olive festival in Irbid, Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Shahahdeh said that the Kingdom’s daily need of citrus ranges between 120 and 150 tonnes, while its production reaches some 200 tonnes, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The three-day festival, held at Al Hassan Youth City, includes olive and country food products that were prepared by 73 olive farmers and nine societies.

Irbid Agriculture Director Ali Abu Nuqtah said that the olive production for the current season amounts to 70,000 tonnes, 62,500 of which were allocated for pressing to produce some 12.5 tonnes of olive oil.