Khaberni - The Jordanian Association for Vegetable and Fruit Exporters and Producers held an extensive coordination meeting on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at its headquarters, with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Royal Jordanian, and several shipping and logistic companies, as well as exporters from both member and non-member of the association, and several stakeholders, to discuss the main challenges facing the air freight sector for Jordanian agricultural products.
During the meeting, participants emphasized the importance of Royal Jordanian as the national carrier, pointing out its effective role during critical periods, and the necessity of enhancing and expanding its role in supporting agricultural exports by increasing regular and direct flights with high efficiency, in line with the needs of target markets.
Furthermore, attendees reviewed the main obstacles facing air freight operations, notably the limited number of direct flights to some promising markets and the high shipping costs to various destinations, which negatively reflect on the competitiveness of the Jordanian product. Several exporters mentioned that the limited cargo space on Royal Jordanian flights often forces them to deal with alternative airlines.
The attendees emphasized the importance of continuing government support for agricultural air freight operations, which has helped enhance the presence of Jordanian products, especially vegetables and fruits, in the European markets. Participants confirmed that this support has been a decisive factor in enabling exporters to reach competitive markets, expand the scope of contract farming, and encourage the cultivation of new crops that meet the requirements of these markets.
They noted that based on this support, large export contracts have been signed for the upcoming season targeting the European market.
In this context, participants praised the ongoing government efforts to support the agricultural air freight sector, asserting that without this support, the success seen in the sector this year would not have been achieved, both in terms of export continuity and maintaining the competitiveness of the Jordanian product in foreign markets. They also appreciated the role of the Ministry of Agriculture and relevant authorities in continuous coordination and facilitating procedures, which enabled exporters to overcome logistical and operational challenges.
The meeting concluded with a number of key recommendations, including:
• Increasing shipping quantities and creating new destinations in coordination with Royal Jordanian.
• Developing a regular and integrated program for shipping flights that clearly defines quantities and seasons.
• Proposing the establishment of a logistics hub (HUB) in Maastricht, Netherlands to support distribution operations in European markets.
• Organizing the commitments of exporters to shipping programs to avoid sudden cancellations.
• Approving support for air freight to the Gulf countries for sensitive items such as berries and leafy greens.
It was also decided to postpone the decision on increasing shipping prices to Britain until the end of the current week, with Royal Jordanian pledging to discuss handling prices at Maastricht airport to ensure the interest of exporters.
At the end of the meeting, participants expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the Jordanian government for its continuous support and cooperation in facilitating the procedures for disbursing support, confirming that these efforts had a clear impact in encouraging exporters to increase their agricultural exports for the current and upcoming season.
