Ammon News - Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah said Jordan has a secure stockpile of food commodities and that supply chains continue to operate normally, urging the public not to rush into panic buying or stockpiling.

Qudah said in press remarks that wheat stocks in silos stand at around 550,000 tons, enough to cover consumption for the next six months, noting that current levels are stronger than those recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that total wheat reserves, including quantities held in warehouses as well as shipments at sea or in countries of origin, are sufficient for 10 months. Even if all shipping were to stop and no new cargoes entered the Kingdom, stocks already available domestically would still cover six months of demand, he noted.

Qudah said barley reserves are sufficient for four and a half months, while contracted quantities would cover an additional four months, bringing total barley availability to around nine months.

He said sugar stocks are sufficient for two and a half months, while all rice varieties are available for four months. Sunflower and corn oil stocks are sufficient for about two months, while palm oil and soybean oil reserves are enough for four months.

He added that feed corn used by the poultry sector is sufficient for around four months, lentils for six months, beans for six months, and powdered milk for four months, stressing that no commodity held by traders has stock coverage of less than two months.

Qudah said supply and distribution chains are functioning normally, pointing out that current stock levels are close to those recorded at the start of the war. He said that if replenishment had stopped while consumption continued, shortages would already have emerged, but continued imports have kept inventory levels stable.

He said 47 container ships have arrived or are expected to arrive in Jordan between the beginning and end of this month, while the number of containers unloaded in March is projected to reach around 72,000 twenty-foot equivalent units by month-end.

According to Qudah, 49 container ships were unloaded at Aqaba Port in March last year, indicating that current traffic is broadly in line with last year’s levels and underscoring the continued efficiency of supply chains.

He said the most critical phase in any military escalation is usually the first 10 days, noting that Jordan has passed that period without significant price spikes despite the overlap with Ramadan, thanks to daily market monitoring and round-the-clock work by ministry teams.

Qudah said shipping lines sharply raised freight rates at the onset of the crisis, with the cost of a 20-foot container rising from about $2,000 to between $3,500 and $4,000. He said the impact has remained limited because the value of goods inside a container can reach about JD400,000, meaning the increase in retail prices does not exceed 7 percent to 10 percent.

He added that many commodity prices are now lower than they were during Ramadan, while other goods have posted only slight increases.

Qudah said the ministry has intensified market oversight, conducting checks on wholesalers and retailers by comparing current prices with those in place three weeks ago to identify any unjustified increases, while also monitoring cases of refusal to sell.

He noted that one dairy company had offered Ramadan discounts and later returned prices to their previous levels after the promotions ended, which does not constitute an actual price increase.