Minister of Agriculture, Engineer, Sa’eed Al Masri, stressed that the national strategy for agriculture, which was initiated in 2002 until 2008, was able to create an agricultural sector for exports, renowned for high quality, to different countries in the world.
He added the local product proved to be excellent in the markets due to the innovation and creativity of the farmers, in spite of the scarcity of resources and water shortage.
During the program “Amman this Morning” on Hawa Amman FM (105.9), Engineer Al Masri said “we were able to produce, in winter, within very low temperatures, a high quality products that were admirable and appreciable especially for the European consumer”.
The Minister also pointed out that fodders support have been stopped for a while, because the Ministry’s plan calls for opening exportation markets, to give the stockbreeders the chance to export their products as well as to sell in the local markets.
He emphasized that this plan improved the stock market prices, through which the farmer was able to cover the difference resulting from fodders’ price increase.
He further declared that during the period which followed the development and growth in economy in 1980s and 1990s, until the present time, the livestock consumption has increased as a result of the population growth.
He resumed “since the breeding species of livestock is not sufficient for the demand, we had to import to meet the needs; therefore, a plan was set, based on opening a free market for stockbreeding to ensure a satisfactory return on livestock investment, especially that suspending the exportation process harmed the livestock from a feasibility perspective.
Al Masri said that the lucrative future of this country can be attained through the institutional efforts, pointing, at the same time, to the joint work between GAM and the Ministry of Agriculture through a common denominator, the central market.
He emphasized that GAM and the Ministry are working together in the market to address several matters, namely, weight based selling, as stipulated in the markets regulations, standard packaging of products, and observing and abiding by technical specifications, with a minimum level of quality.
The Minister commended GAM’s support to marketing by holding exhibitions that promote agricultural products.
On his part, City Deputy Director of Public Works, Eng. Mustafa Al Louzi, highlighted the joint work between GAM and the Ministry of Agriculture, including setting up strategies and policies, exchanging information, joint action commissions, supervision, and inspection.
He commended the role of the Ministry in marketing the agricultural products in foreign markets, and in the field of controlling the vectors, especially that the Ministry participates in the selection of proper insecticides to protect the health of citizens and environment, as well as the Ministry’s membership in a joint committee for birds and fish shops’ licensing, and in the Board of the Central Market.
