Israel’s decision to ban imports of fruits and vegetables from Jordan has brought trade between Amman and Tel Aviv back to the forefront, following demands to halt these trade dealings with Israel, especially the export of fruits and vegetables, in light of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Ministry of Health decided to stop importing vegetables and fruits from Jordan due to the discovery of cholera bacteria in the Yarmouk River water and in some agricultural products imported from there.
But Jordan confirmed that the waters of the Yarmouk River and the King Abdullah Canal are free of any pollution, and the decision is expected to lead to an increase in the prices of agricultural products in Israel, especially cucumbers and tomatoes that it imports from Jordan due to the scarcity of crops there since the beginning of the war on Gaza.
“Tomato and cucumber prices have gone up by 60-70% in the past month, and the current heat waves are severely affecting the tomato crop, so I have stopped growing them this season,” an Israeli farmer told Yedioth Ahronoth on Tuesday. “We are still growing cucumbers, but there is a high loss rate of young plants, and because Jordan has similar weather, imports from there are increasing supply.”
Increase exports
According to data from the Jordanian Department of Statistics, the value of Jordanian exports to Israel increased by 15% during the past year compared to 2022.
Israel imported more than 46,000 tons of vegetables and fruits from Jordan in the period from August 8, 2023 to August 8 of this year.
Current imports mainly include tomatoes and cucumbers, along with peppers and zucchini, with olives and dates to be imported later in the year.
Jordanian exports of vegetables and fruits to Israel amounted to 1,300 tons per month, out of total exports of 12,500 tons.
Israel’s total imports in 2024 exceeded 1,000 tons during the year.
The Jordanian private sector or the government.. Who exports?
Jordanian Minister of Agriculture Dr. Khaled Hneifat said that Jordan has diplomatic relations with Israel, and that the private sector exports and imports to Israel according to binding agreements, not the Jordanian government.
He added – in an interview with Al Jazeera – that Jordan has many security and political entanglements, especially with regard to Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that these entanglements oblige Jordan to continue this relationship.
Hanifat said that Jordanian agricultural exports to Israel reach three destinations: the West Bank, Israel, and a third section reaches Europe via Israel (transit).
He stressed that Jordan conducts periodic tests related to the safety of agricultural products because they will affect the Jordanian citizen first, saying that the tests include tests of water, soil and agricultural products, and that the infections with the bacteria that cause cholera have proven negative, otherwise the infections would have spread to citizens in Jordan.
high temperature
Hanifat added that there is no agriculture now on the Yarmouk River waters, where the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius, and therefore there is no production from there, whether for local consumption or export.
He explained that it is possible that Israel obtained samples from the upper Jordan River, i.e. before solar drying (exposing the water to the sun) and before the water reaches Jordan and is treated before being released again, and that there are 6 agricultural and environmental control bodies in the country.
He pointed out that the Gulf countries inquired about the matter and reviewed the Jordanian tests that proved the safety of the products, as Jordan exports to the Arab Gulf countries about 3,000 tons of vegetables and fruits daily, stressing the continuation of these exports.
