Jordan resumes vegetable exports to Syria after 13-year suspension

AMMAN — Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat on Saturday oversaw the resumption of Jordanian vegetable exports to Syria after a 13-year suspension.

In the presence of Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Syrian embassy in Amman Ihsan Roman and Balqa Governor Salman Najada, Hneifat highlighted the severe impact of regional instability on agriculture, noting that the reopening of the Syrian market would positively affect the sector, particularly during the winter farming season in the Jordan Valley. 

He also underscored the strategic importance of Syria as a transit route for Jordanian products to reach European markets via Turkey, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Hneifat reiterated Jordan’s readiness to share expertise and modern agricultural technologies to support Syria’s agricultural recovery and expressed the Kingdom’s commitment to assisting as stability returns to the neighbouring country.

Roman commended Jordan for its continuous support of Syria, emphasising the value of strengthened cooperation in trade and agriculture to benefit both countries.

President of the Jordan Valley Farmers Union Adnan Khaddam underscored the importance of the Syrian market, which historically received around 300,000 tonnes of Jordanian agricultural exports annually — one-third of the Kingdom’s total agricultural exports — before the suspension. 

President of the Union of Exporters and Importers of Vegetables and Fruits Suleiman Hayari highlighted the Syrian market as a vital destination for Jordan’s winter produce, previously receiving approximately 240,000 tonnes of agricultural goods annually. 

He stressed the reduced export costs to Syria, which boosted the competitiveness of Jordanian exporters, and noted heightened agricultural activity in the Jordan Valley following the market’s reopening.