Rising temperatures boost agricultural production, increase water use

AMMAN — The rise in temperature has prompted mostly positive reactions from farmers, who expect increased agricultural production, though the uptick in water use poses a concern. 

Adnan Khaddam, head of the Jordan Valley Farmers Union, told The Jordan Times on Monday that there is no agricultural loss due to high temperatures in the valley. However, he did not dismiss the possibility of the weather’s negative impacts during the summer.

Founder of Sustainable Agriculture Association, Waleed Al Qeshawi, said that the rise in temperatures greatly affects crops and the flowering process.

“Irrigation consumes a lot of water, and that is a big problem, especially as evaporation rates are higher now,” he said, noting that farmers incur additional losses due to hot weather.

According to the Ministry of Water, Jordan’s agriculture sector consumes 50 per cent of the available water resources in Jordan. However, this figure only represents 60 per cent of the needs of the sector.

Qeshawi also touched on agricultural overproduction during the season.

“For example, we have a surplus of potatoes in the markets due to the weather, which causes losses for farmers,” Qeshawi said.

When crop production rises in a short span of time, the imbalance will be reflected in the prices of fruit and vegetables. The farmer has to bear the cost, not to mention the high demand for water, he added.