Saudi Arabia has decided to lift a ban on imports of Jordanian poultry, Jordan Times reported Sunday, quoting minister of agriculture Zuhair Zannouneh.
Speaking following his return from a four-day visit to Saudi Arabia, the minister said a team of veterinarians from Saudi Arabia will visit Jordan to inspect measures taken by the private and public sectors to ensure the good health and safety of farm animals, the daily added.
Zannoneh said he discussed with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Abdullah Ben Moammar agricultural issues and was reassured that Saudi Arabia will reopen its markets to Jordanian agricultural products very soon.
According to the paper, exports to the Arab Gulf states declined 12.7 percent in 1999 due to allegations that Jordanian farmers use excessive pesticides as well as contaminated water to irrigate crops.
Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been importing Jordanian agricultural products, but agricultural crops sold to Saudi Arabia dropped to a mere one per cent of the total amount exported to Arab countries in 1999 – Albawaba.com
