AMMAN — Jordan is expected to record a strong cereal harvest in 2026 following favourable weather conditions throughout the growing season, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

 

The report, issued under the FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS), forecasts Jordan’s total cereal production at around 150,000 tonnes, more than 50 per cent above the five-year average. The increase is attributed to abundant and well-distributed rainfall that replenished soil moisture and supported crop development across the country's main grain-producing regions.

 

Above-average rainfall between November 2025 and April 2026 benefited key agricultural governorates, including Irbid, Ajloun, Balqa, Amman and Madaba. Healthy vegetation conditions observed in April also pointed to stronger-than-average yields ahead of the harvest, the report said.

 

According to the report, Jordan is expected to continue relying heavily on cereal imports despite the improved domestic harvest.

 

The FAO forecasts cereal import requirements of approximately 3 million tonnes during the 2026/27 marketing year, spanning July to June, broadly in line with the five-year average.

 

The report said that import demand will remain strong in part because of the government's policy of maintaining strategic wheat and barley reserves sufficient to cover between seven and 10 months of domestic consumption.

 

Among major food categories, oils and fats recorded the sharpest annual increase, rising by around 16 per cent, while price increases for most other food items were relatively modest.

 

The report also highlighted ongoing humanitarian concerns, noting that Jordan continues to host a large refugee population while facing economic pressures linked to continuing regional conflicts.

 

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 390,000 Syrian refugees were registered in Jordan as of June 2026. However, funding shortages have affected humanitarian assistance, leading to the suspension of food aid for refugees living in host communities since April and reductions in cash assistance for refugees residing in camps.

 

Director General of the Jordan Silos and Supply General Company (JSSC) Imad Tarawneh has recently said that Jordan has received around 110,000 tonnes of locally produced wheat and barley as the harvest season continues, with total deliveries expected to reach between 130,000 and 140,000 tonnes.

 

Tarawneh said that the current intake represents the Kingdom’s largest locally produced grain harvest in nearly 15 years.

 

Speaking to Al Mamlaka TV, Tarawneh attributed the strong yield to favorable rainfall during the agricultural season, expressing hope that similar weather conditions would continue in the coming years.

 

Jordan’s annual consumption of wheat and barley is estimated at about 2 million tonnes, including around 1.1 million tonnes of wheat and between 800,000 and 900,000 tonnes of barley, Tarawneh said.

 

He noted that domestic production accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the country’s total grain needs, with this year’s expected harvest enough to cover national consumption for between 25 and 30 days.

 

Tarawneh stressed that increased local production would not affect grain imports, saying the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply continues to import wheat and barley to maintain and strengthen the Kingdom’s strategic reserves.

 

Jordan’s strategic reserves currently cover at least 10 months of wheat consumption and eight months of barley consumption, he said, adding that the local harvest would further enhance these reserves.