AMMAN — The industrial sector grew 4.6 per cent in the second quarter and contributed about 40 per cent of the Kingdom’s economic growth, the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) said in a statement on Thursday.

 

The chamber said manufacturing grew 6.2 per cent year-on-year, its highest quarterly growth rate since 2008. Manufacturing growth was more than double the national economy’s 3 per cent growth in the second quarter, it noted.

 

Manufacturing led all economic activities in terms of contribution to growth, adding 1.04 percentage points, or about 35 per cent of total growth, the JCI said.

 

The chamber stressed that industry was not only a beneficiary of improved economic activity, but also a key contributor to it. Industrial performance drove a significant share of second-quarter growth, alongside an expansion in the value generated by the sector’s activities, it said.

 

Manufacturing remained the largest economic activity in terms of its contribution to gross domestic product at constant prices, accounting for 17.2 per cent. The chamber said this highlights the importance of the industrial production base to the national economy.

 

It said manufacturing’s highest quarterly growth rate since 2008, together with growth across the industrial sector, was an important indicator of momentum. It added that the performance strengthens the sector’s ability to contribute to the goals of the Economic Modernisation Vision, in which industry is a key pillar.

 

The chamber noted that the results were particularly significant given regional conditions and challenges in recent months, including pressures on trade, transportation and supply chains. These conditions, it said, demonstrate the resilience of Jordanian industry and its ability to maintain production and expansion amid external changes.

 

The positive production performance has also coincided with continued growth in industrial exports during the year, reflecting the sector’s ability to translate higher production into a stronger presence in international markets and support economic growth, foreign trade and foreign currency generation, the chamber added.

 

The JCI highlighted industry’s broader economic impact through its extensive links with transportation, trade, energy, services and logistics, as well as its role in employment, investment and value creation. This multiplies the impact of growth in the sector on overall economic activity, it said.

 

The chamber underscored the importance of building on the performance and turning the current momentum into sustainable growth. It called for faster implementation of initiatives and projects related to the industrial sector, stronger competitiveness of national products and greater incentives for industrial and export investment.

 

It also urged continued efforts to reduce energy, transport and production costs, and to provide the financing tools needed for expansion and investment.