Ammon News - Representative of the foodstuff sector in the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC), Raed Hamadeh, on Sunday discussed with the regional attache of the US Department of Agriculture, Elizabeth Miller, means of enhancing agricultural and food security cooperation between the two countries.

Hamadeh pointed to the role played by the food sector during the covid-19 pandemic, during which traders were able to perpetuate the Kingdom's imports of food, with no shortage of any commodity.

He also emphasized the JCC's role as an umbrella organization for Jordan's commercial and service sectors, under which essential economic matters are managed by resolving any issues through constant contact with government agencies.

Despite tariffs and taxes, Jordan's food industry, according to Hamadeh, has established a foothold in worldwide markets, particularly the United States.

He emphasized the importance of US support for Jordan's food sector, particularly in light of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the resulting shortages of vegetable oils and wheat, and urged the US to invest in Jordan's agricultural sector and connect with local agricultural manufacturing and production firms.

"Jordan has done well out of the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which granted duty-free status to Jordanian exports to the United States," he added.

Miller, for her part, reaffirmed her country's desire to support Jordan's agricultural industry and remove any barriers to bilateral commerce.

She highlighted a number of US agricultural and food assistance programs now being undertaken in Jordan, which include staff training and rehabilitation.