Browse Data and Analysis

Jordan, a Middle Eastern country with limited arable land and severe water scarcity, heavily relies on grain imports to meet domestic consumption needs.

Jordan continues to rely heavily on imports for essential staples such as wheat, barley, corn, and rice due to limited domestic production and scarce water resources.

MY2024/25 wheat imports are estimated to reach 1.2 million metric tons as Jordan's government begins filling its strategic grain reserves to mitigate inflationary shocks caused by geopolitical crises. MY2024/25 wheat exports are lowered to 50,000 tons, down 40,000 tons from MY2023/24, as in-kind food assistance programs supplying Syria wind down.

Jordan’s MY 2023/24 wheat imports are forecasted to reach 1.25 million MT -- with Ukraine, Romania, and Russia dominating wheat imports in the first seven months of calendar year 2023.

On October 20, 2023, Jordan notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measure on poultry meat imports (G/SPS/N/JOR/44).

Since December 2022, rainfall across most of Iraq has been positive, expected to result in favorable yields and increased production for winter crops wheat and barley, with rice expected to rebound this summer for marketing year (MY) 2023/24.

FAS Amman (Post) forecasts Jordan’s wheat imports in MY 2023/24 to reach 1.25 million MT. The Russian war on Ukraine directly impacts Jordan, as most of Jordan's wheat and barley come from Black Sea.

On May 17, the Government of Iraq (GOI) announced higher purchase prices for locally-produced wheat in an effort to incentivize farmers to market their crop to the Ministry of Trade. On June 8, the GOI also passed a food security bill that allows the government to use public funds to meet urgent food needs, including issuing tenders to import wheat.

Continued drought and water shortages is affecting economic activities in Iraq, especially grain production in 2022. The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture cut agricultural cropping in irrigated areas to 50 percent less than the previous year due to shortages in surface water.

FAS Amman (Post) forecasts Jordan’s wheat imports in MY 2022/23 to reach 1.3 million MT driven by fears of war. The Russian war on Ukraine has a direct impact on Jordan, as most of Jordan's wheat and barley come from Black Sea.

The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture recently released its 2021 plans for total planted area of summer crops – corn and rice – following approval by the Ministry of Water Resources.

Effective April 15, Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture issued a number of decisions to restrict the transshipment of wheat and barley inside Iraq to limit the entry of crops from unknown sources.