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Seed testing laboratory to begin operating in Balqa

Centre to test, sample Jordanian seeds in accordance with international rules

By Hana Namrouqa - Aug 02,2017 - Last updated at Aug 02,2017

AMMAN — Work is under way to set up a laboratory in Balqa Governorate to test and sample seeds in accordance with the International Seed Testing Association’s (ISTA) Rules for Seed Testing, government officials said on Wednesday.

The centre will be established at the National Centre for Agricultural Research and Extension in Balqa’s Ain Al Basha district, 35km northwest of the capital, according to the Ministry of Agriculture Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin.

“The centre is now in the registration and accreditation phase, before it can start issuing ISTA certificates to Jordanian exporters of seeds. The certificates are very important to further raise the competitiveness of Jordanian seeds and ensure their quality,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

He underscored that Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat and president of the merchants of agricultural products association Saleh Yasin met on Wednesday to discuss progress on accrediting the lab by ISTA, according to Haddadin.

“Jordan is the region’s leading country in the production and exportation of seeds. The lab will further promote Jordan’s vegetable seeds and open more marketing destinations,” Haddadin underscored.

The government official highlighted that Jordan is home to 16 pioneering companies that produce 32 tonnes of seeds annually and generate profits worth JD20 million per year.

“The seeds of vegetables produced in Jordan reach around 50 countries. The seeds production sector is vital and promising and it generates countless job opportunities for agricultural workers and engineers,” he noted.

In a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, Hneifat stressed the importance of supporting the seeds production sector, noting that the country seeks to reach self-sufficiency in the production of seeds.

 

The minister also highlighted the importance of seeds production to achieve a shift in the Kingdom’s agricultural sector, from conventional crop cultivations to profit-generating cultivations.

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