Jordan’s strategic reserves offer protection against Russian withdrawal from grain deal

AMMAN — The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply on Sunday announced that the strategic reserve of wheat and barley can cover local consumption for each commodity for a period of 12 months.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Ministry Spokesperson Yanal Baramawi said that this stock will protect the Kingdom from any near-term consequences of Russia's withdrawal from the grain deal.

The spokesperson warned that if the crisis persists, it will have adverse effects on global markets and grain supplies, particularly wheat, leading to potential price surges and impacting importing nations.

Baramawi also clarified that the Kingdom imports wheat and barley from multiple sources and that the ministry has a strategy to establish more storage facilities and expand the country's storage capacity for these commodities by approximately 2.5 million tonnes by the end of 2023.

He indicated that the ministry regularly issues tenders to acquire more wheat and barley to maintain high stock levels, noting that Jordan's monthly wheat consumption stands at 90,000 tonnes.