AMMAN, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Jordan said on Sunday that its wheat and barley reserve is sufficient to cover the country's needs for more than one year.
The remarks were made by Trade Minister Yousef Al-Shamali during a meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Economy and Investment, according to a statement by the ministry.
The minister said Jordan would not increase the bread price despite the spike in global prices of wheat.
Jordan's monthly consumption of wheat is some 80,000 metric tons, and the country consumes about 60,000 tons of barley per month, according to the ministry.
Jordan is the only Arab country that has enough grain stocks for more than a year, he said, adding that the kingdom has the capacity to store wheat for 18 months of consumption.
Chairman of Amman Chamber of Commerce Khalil Haj Tawfiq said at the meeting that the continued rise in global prices would lead to new increases in commodity prices, calling for strengthening the strategic stockpile to raise competitiveness among traders.
He pointed out that Jordan imports about 4 million tonnes of foodstuffs annually through the private sector, constituting about 85 percent of the kingdom's food needs. ■
