Export growth…and a qualitative shift towards European and Asian markets
Jordan is moving to become a regional industrial center and a promising export platform
Those working in the industrial sector confirmed that the growth of Jordanian industrial exports by 2.6 percent during the first quarter of this year, in light of the regional conditions and ongoing tensions in the region, confirms the success of industrial exports in growing and withstanding the recent international obstacles, and is clear evidence that the Kingdom enjoys comparative advantages at the level of competitiveness in terms of quality and intermediate regional location.
They pointed out, in interviews with Al-Rai, that the most prominent thing revealed by the results of industrial exports during the first quarter of this year is not only the achievement of growth in total exports, but also the remarkable shift in the sources of this growth, as European and Asian markets have become the main engine for the export expansion of Jordanian industry.
The Kingdom’s industrial exports grew by 2.6 percent during the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period in 2025, due to their increase in exports to Asian and European markets.
According to statistical data from the Jordan Chamber of Industry, the Kingdom’s industrial exports in the first quarter of this year amounted to 2.027 billion dinars, compared to 1.976 billion dinars for the same period last year.
The Kingdom’s industrial exports during the first quarter of this year represented 95 percent of Jordan’s total national exports, amounting to 2.129 billion dinars for the same period.
According to statistical data prepared by the Chamber’s Studies and Policies Department, the Kingdom’s exports of manufacturing industries grew by 1 percent during the first quarter of this year, while the percentage of industry exports covering imports reached 44 percent.
Since the beginning of the current year 2026, the Kingdom’s industrial exports have been increasing during the first three months, reaching 677 million dinars in January, 607 million dinars in February, and 743 million dinars in March.
According to the data, the most prominent growth markets for the Kingdom’s industrial exports during the first quarter of this year were Switzerland, with a value of 118 million dinars, with a growth rate of 306 percent, and China, with a value of 101 million dinars, with a growth rate of 75 percent.
The head of the Zarqa Chamber of Industry, Engineer Fares Hamouda, said that the growth of Jordanian industrial exports by 2.6 percent during the first quarter of this year comes in light of the regional conditions and ongoing tensions in the region, stressing that the success of industrial exports in growing and withstanding the recent international obstacles is clear evidence that the Kingdom enjoys comparative advantages at the level of competitiveness in terms of quality and intermediate regional location.
Hamouda stated that Jordan is moving at a balanced pace to become a regional industrial center and an export platform for many products, especially with the growth of certain sectors and industrial exports taking an upward curve since the beginning of the year, indicating that, according to the report issued by the Jordan Chamber of Industry, industrial exports have become diversified between traditional markets and non-traditional markets.
Hamouda stressed that most of the countries that contributed to the growth of exports were not previously among the main exporting countries, such as Switzerland, China, Belgium, Thailand, and Syria, in addition to the traditional markets for the Kingdom’s exports, such as the United States of America, with a value of 457 million dinars and a relative weight of 21 percent, Saudi Arabia with a value of 224 million dinars and a relative weight of 11 percent, Iraq with a value of 193 million dinars and a relative weight of 9 percent, and India with a value of 170 million dinars and a relative weight of 21 percent. 8 percent.
Hamouda also confirmed that the mining industries in the Kingdom are taking an upward trend in exports, and have high flexibility in meeting the global demand for potash and phosphate products and the chemical industry products based on them, due to the increase in production rates within economies of scale and the commencement of work on many major expansion projects.
Hamouda revealed the real strength of the Jordanian industrial sectors and their high presence in global markets, which enabled them to achieve advanced positions in terms of exports, such as the chemical and cosmetics industries sector, which came in first place with exports worth 450 million dinars during the first quarter, in addition to the leather and textile sector, whose exports amounted to 417 million dinars, in addition to the engineering, food and therapeutic industries sectors.
Hamouda also confirmed that the data issued by the chambers of industry are in harmony with the data issued by the Department of General Statistics, which indicates the true volume of industrial sector exports and their effective contribution to achieving high growth rates in the Kingdom, and supporting the balance of payments by raising the ratio of exports covering imports, which reached 44 percent.
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Muhammad Al-Jitan, confirmed that the most prominent thing revealed by the results of industrial exports during the first quarter of this year is not only the achievement of growth in total exports, but also the remarkable shift in the sources of this growth, as European and Asian markets have become the main engine for the export expansion of Jordanian industry.
He added that the data clearly shows the success of the Jordanian industry in compensating for the decline recorded in a number of major traditional markets, most notably the United States, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and India, by achieving important breakthroughs in new and promising European and Asian markets, which reflects the growing ability of the Jordanian product to compete in diverse and advanced markets.
Al-Jitan pointed out that the strong growth recorded in markets such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and China does not merely represent a temporary increase in exports, but rather reflects an important shift in the map of Jordanian industrial exports, and confirms that efforts to diversify markets have begun to yield tangible results.
He explained that the importance of this development lies in the fact that it enhances the flexibility of Jordanian industrial exports and reduces the risks of relying on a limited number of markets, making the industrial sector more capable of dealing with global economic and trade fluctuations.
Al-Jitan stressed that maintaining this path requires continuing work to enhance the competitiveness of the national industry, benefiting from trade agreements, and intensifying efforts aimed at opening new markets, thus enhancing the presence of Jordanian products in global markets and consolidating the industry’s position as one of the most important engines of economic growth in the Kingdom.
The representative of the clothing and knitwear sector in the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Engineer Ihab Qadri, said that the results of the first quarter of 2026 reflect an important economic fact, which is that the Jordanian industry still constitutes the backbone of national exports, after it acquired about 95 percent of the total national exports and achieved a growth of 2.6 percent, despite a commercial and regional environment that is not easy.
He added that more important than the number itself is that this growth was achieved at a time when some major traditional markets witnessed a decline, such as the United States, India, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, which means that the Jordanian industry was able to maintain its momentum by diversifying markets and redistributing its export presence towards European and Asian markets that achieved clear growth.
He pointed out that, from an economic perspective, this is an indication that the industrial sector still has flexibility and the ability to adapt to shifts in global demand and trade geography, which is extremely important in light of the fluctuations the region and the world are witnessing.
He stated that a deeper reading of these results indicates that what is required now is not to simply describe the performance as positive, but rather to build on it and transform it into a more sustainable path. The emergence of sectors such as the chemical, leather, textile, engineering, mining, and food industries among the list of the highest exported sectors confirms that Jordan has a diverse and competitive industrial base.
He added that establishing this presence in new markets requires more than opening alternative outlets; It requires reducing production and transportation costs, deepening local value chains, improving logistical readiness, and raising the competitiveness of Jordanian products. If Jordan succeeds in this, industrial exports will not only remain a supportive element for growth, but could become a more effective tool in enhancing economic stability, improving the trade balance, and creating job opportunities.
