Khaberni - The poultry sector is facing significant and unprecedented losses, resulting from increased production costs versus the sharp decline in poultry prices in the local market, due to weak purchasing power of the local consumer, in addition to the surplus of production and supply of live and fresh poultry.
The acting director of the Poultry Farmers Union, Engineer Rowan Abu Aadi, confirmed that poultry prices have decreased by between 40% and 50% compared to last year, for several reasons, the most prominent of which is the large surplus in the market due to production expansion, increased quantities of hatching eggs, improved breeding efficiency, and general health condition, leading to an increase in both production and supply of poultry, according to opinions.
Abu Aadi pointed out that local poultry prices in the kingdom have reached unprecedented levels, with the price of fresh poultry ranging from 1.15 to 1.5 dinar per kilo, and about 1 to 1.25 dinar per kilogram for chicken off-cuts, prices that do not cover the actual production costs.
She called on the relevant authorities to protect national investments in the poultry sector, as it is one of the vital sectors that contribute to achieving food security for Jordanian citizens and provides a basic commodity of white meat, in addition to providing job opportunities for thousands of Jordanians. She also emphasized the necessity of supporting the sector in the field of exports to absorb part of the surplus in the offer, given the struggles of local companies with obstacles related to requirements and procedures imposed in some neighboring Arab countries, which limits the ability to export surplus and exacerbates pressures on Jordanian farmers.
In a separate context, Abu Aadi stressed the importance of not being lenient in tightening control over imported poultry used as production inputs, as they are exempt from customs duties, to prevent their leakage to local markets and being sold directly as frozen poultry or redirected to other sectors.
Abu Aadi also mentioned that «sustainability» is the ultimate goal for the benefit of all parties, explaining that the decline in prices temporarily benefits the consumer. However, continued selling below production costs will lead to the exit of small and large farmers from the market due to severe losses, which will eventually reflect in a decrease in produced quantities and a sharp rise in prices, negatively impacting the local market balance.
