Irbid reports all time high export revenues — chamber of industry

AMMAN — Irbid export revenues went up to $491 million until August, President of Irbid Chamber of Industry Hani Abu Hassan said on Thursday.

During the same period last year, the revenues stood at $460.5 million, Abu Hassan said.

In August, the revenues recorded their highest number since the establishment of the chamber in 1999, he noted.

Al Hassan Industrial Estate exported 88 per cent of the products with a value of $86 million, while the Cyber City exported products worth $6.7 million, according to the official.

Leather exports came first with a sum of $86 million in August, accounting for 92 per cent of the total exports; meanwhile medical commodities came second with $3 million.

The third place was occupied by foodstuff products, which reached $1.4 million, followed by electrical goods amounting to $1.2 million, Abu Hassan said.

Rubber and plastic industry gained $700,000, while cosmetic industry reached $473,000, in addition to $800,000 for other industries, according to the president.

Abu Hassan said that the US was the biggest importer, with revenues that reached $77 million, accounting for 82 per cent of Irbid's exports.

The US was followed by the EU, which imported commodities worth $3 million and Canada for $2 million.

The Arab markets imported goods worth $4 million, which accounted for 5 per cent of the overall exports, according the chamber's president. 

Abu Hassan said that Jordanian exports are tax-exempted in the US under the free trade agreement signed by the two countries in October 2000.

Al Hassan Industrial Estate has one of the largest garment factories in the region that has signed new agreements with US buyers, which led to the increase in Jordan's exports to the US, according to the official. 

The president said he also expected exports to increase after the reopening of the Jordan-Iraq Turaibil border crossing.

 “Closure of the borders inflicted hefty additional fees on exporters and producers as shipments used to be carried through Kuwait to reach Iraq. The reopening will help cut down the expenses and will also reduce the losses which traders have incurred over the past two years,” the president said.

Iraq is a major destination for Jordanian exports and a priority for Jordanian industrialists and businessmen.

He called for exempting exports to Iraq from taxes, which he said reach 30 per cent.