Khaberni - The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mohammad Al-Hayari, said that the ministry has started since Monday to grant olive oil import licenses to the military and civilian consumer institutions and presses and private sector companies that have applied for the license.
Al-Hayari expects imported olive oil to arrive within a few weeks (less than a month).
The current olive season is experiencing a noticeable decline due to the scarcity of rain and the drought that the kingdom has faced.
The General Statistics Department said in a statement that the overall seasonal performance of the olive oil season indicates that it is "weak" compared to previous seasons.
In previous statements, the Minister of Agriculture, Saeb Khresat, told "Al-Mamlaka" that the ministry resorted to opening the door for importing olive oil; to cover the deficit of the olive season and lessen the burden on citizens.
The minister confirmed that prices will decrease significantly due to the importing and it will be affordable for everyone.
The ministry clarified in a previous statement, saying that the import process will be carried out only from the countries of the International Olive Council, in compliance with international standards and to guarantee the quality of the imported product.
The ministry published a set of instructions related to the importing of olive oil, the most notable of which is the submission of a legal pledge of (25,000) Jordanian dinars to not sell the shipment outside the Jordanian markets.
The pledge instructions also stipulate the necessity to comply with not mixing or repackaging it for circulation in the local market or for re-export.
