Amman, Sept. 17 (Petra) -- The Cabinet approved a decision to raise the budget for purchasing locally grown wheat and barley to JD59 million from JD45 million, Agriculture Minister Saeb Khraisat said, calling the move a "boost" for local farmers and agricultural production.

In a statement, Khraisat said the step also increases the quantity purchased from Jordanian farmers to 147,000 tons from 110,000 tons, which would stabilize the agricultural market, expand absorption of local production and improve returns for farmers.

As for its goals, he said the increase supports the government's push to "prioritize strategic" crops, strengthen reliance on domestic production and bolster national food security amid global challenges facing the food sector.

Khraisat said expanding wheat and barley cultivation requires a "favorable" production environment, noting that guaranteed purchases of "larger" local harvests encourage farmers to expand cultivated areas and invest in productivity and quality.

On its current policy, he said the Agriculture Ministry is working to support farmers and develop the grain production system through improved resource efficiency, extension services and modern technology, in line with government priorities on food security and agricultural sustainability.

//Petra// NQ