Amman, Oct. 20 (Petra) –Jordanian Farmers Union (JFU) on Tuesday held discussions with a delegation from the Lebanese Farmers’ Association and the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture on ways to strengthen agricultural cooperation and commercial integration between the two nations.
During the meeting attended by Lebanese Ambassador to Jordan, Brigitte Tawk, both sides underscored the "deep, historically rooted" relations between Jordan and Lebanon, which are built on mutual respect.
The two sides also highlighted Jordan’s commitment, under His Majesty King Abdullah II's leadership to Lebanon's security and stability and support of its national institutions.
Regarding the agricultural sector, the participants noted that agricultural trade between Jordan and Lebanon is both "long-standing and ongoing." They also discussed ways to streamline customs procedures and cross-border transit protocols and remove obstacles to ensure the "smooth flow of goods." They said this effort seeks to achieve integration by addressing production gaps, as Lebanese market could benefit from winter vegetables and citrus fruits from the Jordan Valley, while the Jordanian market could benefit from Lebanese apples and produce from Lebanon’s mountainous regions.
JFU Chairman Odeh Obeidallah Rawashdeh called for increasing the volume of trade between the two countries, which is currently valued at approximately $200 million annually, with an ambition to reach $440 million through the activation of existing bilateral agreements.
The Lebanese delegation, who comprised farmers and agricultural engineers from the apple-producing regions of Bsharri and the Byblos (Jbeil) District, attended a presentation on the state of agriculture in Jordan.
The presentation revealed the Jordanian union operates 18 branches across various governorates, overseeing a "diverse" range of agricultural output from rain-fed wheat and barley crops in Horan plains to vegetables and fruits in the Jordan Valley and Mafraq areas, as well as specialized sectors such as beekeeping and aquaculture.
Both sides exchanged expertise on storage of apples and potatoes. The Jordanian side showcased an agricultural cold-storage complex in Ajloun governorate, which has a capacity of 1,300 tons distributed across 13 refrigerated chambers.
This facility utilizes solar energy to help reduce electricity costs and offers storage services to farmers targeting apples, seed potatoes, and citrus at a low fee.
Additionally, the complex houses production lines for apple vinegar, honey vinegar, and jams, managed by women’s agricultural cooperatives as part of an initiative to process and add value to surplus or "lost" agricultural produce.
Members of the Lebanese delegation noted that the visit aimed to understand the needs of Jordanian farmers and foster mutually beneficial exchanges.
The delegation also discussed challenges facing Lebanese agricultural products, mainly high energy and storage costs, citing transportation difficulties caused by the current political climate and expressing hope for developing a joint strategy for marketing agricultural supplies, food products, and biological pest control solutions.
In turn, Ambassador Tawk affirmed the Kingdom has always been "steadfast" in providing humanitarian and political support to Lebanon, standing firmly by its army and national institutions.
She also expressed her appreciation for the "warm welcome for the delegation." Concluding the meeting, both sides agreed to continue mutual coordination for holding specialized technical meetings to explore organization of a joint exhibition for agricultural supplies, and exchange field visits to learn about "successful" experiences in both countries.
//Petra// AG
