Dr. Fadel ELZUBI explained that while the Ministry of Agriculture has launched an indicative import calendar—a sound step—imports are only half the equation. The other half, directing production itself through a declared national map binding both farmers and institutions, remains behind the country’s urgent needs. The delay is costly in three ways:
- Water: Jordan is water-poor, and agriculture is its largest consumer. When the same crop floods the same season, we not only waste it but squander water on produce that collapses in price at harvest. A map directs every cubic meter to the crop and region of highest return, avoiding irrigation of surplus no one buys.
- Inputs: Fertilizer, energy, feed, and seed prices are rising globally. Farmers buy individually, at the worst timing, paying the highest cost. Advance planning enables collective purchasing through cooperatives and early contracting, reducing waste and lowering per-dunum costs before the season begins.
- Lost Opportunity: Neighboring markets have predictable seasonal demand. Producers who know when each crop is needed can plant under prior contracts. Those who plant without a calendar arrive late, finding the share already taken by competitors who deliver on time and in volume.
ELZUBI stressed: the solution lies in adopting the map and calendar officially as a national reference, managed by a single authority in partnership with the Ministries of Agriculture and Water and the National Agricultural Research Center, with clear performance indicators each season. Compliance should be tied to real incentives—priority in water quotas, financing, and support programs for those who follow it. Delivery must be timely, via apps, cooperatives, and extension services, and linked to pre-season contracts with importers, turning external demand into a guaranteed price for farmers.
Jordan, he concluded, does not have the luxury of waiting for seasons without a binding map—only to waste more water and pay higher costs.