Jordan's JOD 1.6 Billion Food Strategy Sets Course for Industrial Transformation
26/10/2026 | 09:13:39
AMMAN, Oct. 26 (Petra) – Jordan’s National Food Industry Strategy (2027–2029) is designed to drive a structural transformation across the Kingdom's manufacturing base by scaling up product value addition, boosting industrial productivity, and deepening supply chain integration to solidify the global competitiveness of Jordanian food exports.
Developed by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply as a key pillar under the High-Value Industries engine of the Economic Modernization Vision, the strategy outlines ambitious fiscal benchmarks. The blueprint sets a national target to expand food exports from JOD 1.232 billion in 2027 to JOD 1.61 billion by 2029.
Over the same timeframe, total annual sectoral output is projected to reach between JOD 5.5 billion and JOD 5.8 billion, generating an estimated overall value-add of JOD 2.2 billion to JOD 2.4 billion for the national economy.
A central priority of the strategy involves shifting production paradigms toward high-value goods. High-value-added commodities are targeted to account for 32 to 35 percent of total sector output by 2029–up from a baseline of roughly 25 percent–while their share of total food exports is projected to reach 45 to 50 percent.
Priority development segments offering the highest potential for industrial deepening include fruit and vegetable processing and preservation, chocolate and confectionery manufacturing, ready-to-eat meals, and specialized food products.
To accelerate technological adoption across manufacturing facilities, the strategy aims to raise the proportion of food processing plants utilizing digital management and operating systems from under 20 percent to between 50 and 60 percent by 2029.
Key operational and regulatory initiatives focus on establishing a national farm-to-factory digital traceability ecosystem, upgrading national food testing laboratories, and modernizing export inspection frameworks to align with technical requirements in target international markets.
On the supply chain front, the roadmap emphasizes inter-sectoral integration by expanding contract farming models that connect local growers directly with processing plants.
It also mandates the development of agro-industrial hubs near primary farming regions to curb post-harvest losses, alongside structural investments to enhance cold-chain logistics, localize advanced packaging industries, establish pilot manufacturing platforms, and build a unified national export brand for Jordanian food products.
The strategy points to significant export diversification opportunities, highlighting expanding consumer demand across Asian and African markets, as well as emerging commercial prospects linked to regional reconstruction efforts.
Looking toward 2033, long-term indicators aim to push total food exports to between JOD 2 billion and JOD 2.2 billion, with high-value goods constituting 40 to 45 percent of production and over 80 percent of processing facilities operating on fully digitized management platforms.
Execution oversight will rely on a comprehensive performance measurement framework that evaluates overall macroeconomic impact alongside initiative-level metrics, allowing periodic adjustments based on actual market performance and broader economic shifts.
//Petra// AA