Amman, June 4 (Petra) -- Food security indicators strengthened in 2024 as food self-sufficiency rose to its highest level in four years, supported by increased domestic production and growing surpluses across a broad range of agricultural commodities, according to new data released by the Department of Statistics.

The department's annual Food Balance Sheet showed that the overall food self-sufficiency rate reached 61.4 percent in 2024, up from 57.3 percent in 2020, representing an increase of 4.1 percentage points over the period.

The improvement comes amid notable growth in domestic food production and an expansion in the number of agricultural products generating output beyond local consumption requirements.

According to the report, 28 agricultural products recorded production surpluses in 2024, compared with 22 products four years earlier, highlighting increased productive capacity across several agricultural subsectors.

Fresh vegetables continued to account for some of the strongest self-sufficiency indicators. Melons recorded a self-sufficiency rate of 485 percent, while zucchini reached 173 percent and tomatoes 167 percent, reflecting production volumes that significantly exceeded domestic demand and provided additional export opportunities.

Overall, the self-sufficiency rate for vegetables reached 137 percent, underscoring the sector's position as one of the country's strongest agricultural performers.

Fruit production also generated substantial surpluses. Apricots achieved a self-sufficiency rate of 271 percent, while olive production maintained full self-sufficiency at 100 percent.

The olive oil sector continued to post strong results, with self-sufficiency rising to 114 percent, indicating production levels above local consumption and reinforcing the sector's role as a key contributor to agricultural output.

In the livestock sector, fresh milk maintained full self-sufficiency across all categories, while table eggs recorded a surplus with a self-sufficiency rate of 108.1 percent.

Poultry meat reached 83.1 percent self-sufficiency, reflecting the sector's continued ability to meet the majority of domestic demand.

Red meat, however, remained one of the categories most dependent on imports. The report showed a self-sufficiency rate of 35.9 percent, highlighting the continued reliance on external markets to bridge the gap between domestic production and consumption.

The findings point to broader progress in strengthening food security and enhancing the resilience of domestic food supply chains, although dependence on imports remains evident in several strategic commodities.

The annual Food Balance Sheet, considered one of the country's key food-security statistical products, provides detailed data on production, consumption, imports, exports and self-sufficiency levels across major food groups, supporting policymaking and long-term planning in the agricultural sector.

//Petra// RZ