Khaberni - Prime Minister Jafar Hassan stated that the early directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, over the years, have enabled us to build a good strategic reserve and greatly contributed to the development of the agriculture sector.
The Prime Minister, during chairing a meeting of the Supreme Council for Food Security on Monday, emphasized the necessity of integrating efforts between the government and the private sector, according to a proactive approach, to reinforce the strategic stockpile of goods and basic materials and sustain the stability of local markets, ensuring overcoming emerging challenges in the upcoming period amidst the current regional situations.
The Prime Minister directed during the meeting for the ministries and relevant bodies to monitor the markets and prices and take measures to prevent monopolization and rigorously enforce the law against any violator.
The Prime Minister drew attention to the importance of the role that the council plays in setting and monitoring the implementation of national policies and strategies related to food security, which ensures the sustainability of the availability of essential food commodities and overcoming emerging challenges during the upcoming period.
The meeting included a presentation of the measures, plans, and programs taken by various concerned bodies, where the members of the Supreme Council for Food Security confirmed that the kingdom's stock of basic and supply food items and raw materials is secure and adequate for several months.
Minister of Agriculture Saieb Al-Khriesat confirmed that the ministry has taken a series of measures to ensure the stability of local markets and supply various agricultural products in sufficient quantities, through organizing the movement of import and export, opening new outlets and markets, and meticulous tracking of the stock of goods and production inputs, in addition to enhancing health oversight on incoming shipments, ensuring the local market needs for agricultural products in various circumstances are met.
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Ya'rab Al-Qadi clarified that the ministry is continuously monitoring the reality of supply chains and supply movement, trade, and transportation under the current regional conditions, and coordinating with various governmental bodies and commercial and industrial sectors; to ensure the smooth flow of goods into the kingdom.
He noted the adoption of anticipatory measures to boost the resilience of supply chains, diversifying sources of imports, and monitoring stock levels daily, which ensures the stability of local markets and provision of goods to citizens.
He mentioned that the strategic stockpile of wheat and barley in the kingdom is secure and reassuring and sufficient to cover the local market needs alongside other basic food commodities, assuring the existence of many alternatives to deal with any developments that may affect trade movement in the region.
President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry Fathi Jaghbeer confirmed that the Jordanian industry is committed to not raising prices, and that Jordanian factories are operating at full capacity and normally, covering about 65% of the local market needs, noting that the chamber is coordinating with governmental bodies to monitor stock levels of food commodities and production inputs at the factories.
The Supreme Council for Food Security is responsible for establishing policies, plans, and strategies related to food security in partnership with various concerned bodies, and providing accurate data, figures, and information that contribute to enhancing efforts to achieve national food security.
The council, chaired by the Prime Minister, includes in its membership the Ministers of Agriculture (Vice President), Water and Irrigation, Industry and Trade and Supply, Education, Health, Social Development, Environment, Planning and International Cooperation, Finance, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces or his delegate, the Director General of the Public Food and Drug Corporation, the Director General of the Department of Statistics, the Deputy President of the National Center for Security and Crisis Management, the Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, and the President of the General Union of Jordanian Farmers.
