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Qatar’s Fresh Vegetable Import Ban: Jordan’s Precautionary Measures Unveiled.
Mar 01, 2024

Watan-Jordanian media reported that Qatar has banned the import of fresh leafy vegetables from Jordan, except 'upon fulfilling specific conditions and precautionary measures.'

This came according to a decision conveyed by the Qatari Ministry of Health to concerned parties in Jordan, as reported by the local news website 'Ammon.' The decision sparked controversy among activists on social media and prompted an official clarification.

The website obtained documents indicating that shipments must be accompanied by a conformity certificate issued by one of the companies accredited by the Qatari Ministry of Health as a third party for pre-inspection in Jordan. This is a precautionary measure to ensure compliance with pesticide residue limits.

According to the documents, the Qatari decision also includes all chilled or frozen seafood such as fish, shrimp, squid, and cuttlefish coming from India.

The Qatari Ministry of Health’s decision, as reported by Jordanian media, has not been published by the Qatari ministry on its official website or its social media accounts, nor has any Qatari media, official or private, referred to it so far.

After the news was also published by Jordanian media, there has been no official Qatari comment on this matter, neither from the Ministry of Health nor the Qatari government in general, at the time of writing these lines.

Official Clarification: The decision does not imply a ban and is a routine annual procedure

The decision does not mean a ban; it’s a routine annual measure After the stir caused by this news, the spokesperson for the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, Lawrence al-Majali, issued a statement clarifying the matter.

He pointed out that the requirement for pesticide residue limits on Qatari imports of Jordanian leafy crops 'is not a ban on the entry of leafy vegetables but rather a routine and annual precautionary measure.'

He further stated, as reported by 'Ammon,' that the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture is concerned with meeting the requirements of importing countries in terms of Jordanian products complying with specifications and technical regulations.

Jordanian Official Reveas the Extent of Jordanian Losses from the Qatar Blockade

Jordanian official reveals the extent of Jordanian losses from the blockade of Qatar Al-Majali also noted that the ministry, as part of a national agriculture strategy, is working on a national plan to reduce pesticide residues in all Jordanian vegetable and fruit products for the local market and for export markets.

Jordanian agriculture also works on the necessary procedures to facilitate agricultural exports and improve their quality, according to al-Majali, who confirmed that Qatari health requirements regarding conformity certificates are a procedure adopted by Jordan for its imports. He added, 'It also works to achieve this for Jordanian exports to other markets such as European and Gulf markets.'

According to the media spokesperson for the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, the measure taken by the Qatari authorities is a precautionary measure taken annually by them and is reviewed for the control of agricultural pesticides with imports of plant products to ensure their quality.

It seems that this controversy arose across social media due to events in Gaza and the ongoing war, coinciding with popular protests in Jordan rejecting the entry of vegetables and goods to the occupying entity through Jordan.

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