AMMAN - Flowers could soon become one of the Kingdom's blooming industries if given proper support, according to experts gathering at the Annual Spring Festival in the capital.
Over 50 million flowers are grown in Jordan in 50 different varieties, ranging from the Black Iris (the Kingdom's national flower) to roses and tulips, according to an official from the Jordanian Association for Cut and Ornamental Plants (JACOP).
JACOP Chairman Nader Raymond told The Jordan Times on Thursday that 90per cent of flowers are grown for the local market and only 10 per cent are exported, mainly to Gulf countries.
According to Raymond, in terms of production and variety, Jordanian flowers can compete with the best on the European markets, adding that as Jordan ranks second in the Arab World and is well regarded internationally.Raymond said that the local flower sales volume is around JD2.3 million annually, supplying a living for more than 2,500 families who work in the industry as farmers, suppliers, traders, exporters and workers.
There are around 70 cut flower farms in three major regions, Umm Amad in Madaba, Baqaa in Abu Nsair and the Jordan Valley. These farms offer suitable growing environments for each variety, providing appropriate temperatures, sunlight, humidity and shade, experts said.According to the JACOP chairman, the flower industry faces several obstacles and challenges, such as the shortage of manpower and water and the rising prices of farming materials including oil, fertilisers, seeds and bulbs.
The greatest obstacle the industry faces is overproduction, as the volume of crops is often greater than the demand on the local market, especially in the spring, he said, adding that the sector needs to enter international markets in order to become sustainable.Raymond called on the government to assist in finding other markets according to existing protocols and trade agreements with Arab and foreign countries.
In order to reduce the cost of flower production, he suggested the government to facilitate procedures for foreign workers to work at the farms, support oil subsidies and water prices and to exempt farming materials from taxes and customs.
"If there was no flower industry in the Kingdom, it would cost more than JD15 million to import flowers from other markets," Raymond warned.
He concluded that because of the support for the flower industry in Israel, whose climate and nature matches that of Jordan, Israel is now the largest producer in the region and ranks second in the world after the Netherlands, the heavyweight in the global flower industry.
By Omar Obeidat
© Jordan Times 2008
