AMMAN — Establishing an agro-food industries complex in the southern Jordan Valley would increase the value of Jordanian agricultural products, absorb excess production and serve farmers through easing access to contract farming, Minister of Agriculture Khalid Hneifat  said on Sunday.

 

Hneifat’s remarks came on the sidelines  of  a signing ceremony for the agro-food industries complex agreement and for the establishment of three agricultural companies in the southern Jordan Valley that produce tomato concentrate, dried vegetables  and frozen vegetables, respectively.

 

The cost of the complex totalled JD2 million, which is part of a JD5 million investment, Hneifat  noted.

 

Hneifat said that under the agreement, the ministry will provide land and will finance the infrastructure, including warehouses, water and electricity services. The investors will install machinery, equipment and production lines, operate them and use local production inputs, both in the Jordan Valley and in any of the Kingdom's governorates.

 

He added that 75 per cent of the jobs will be allocated for Jordanian workers.