National exports advance.. and new markets reshape the trade map

Economic expert Wajdi Makhamara pointed out that the foreign trade data for the first seven months of 2026 reflects a relative improvement in the performance of the Jordanian external sector, with exports growing at a higher rate than imports, which contributed to reducing the trade deficit and improving the export coverage ratio for imports.

Makhamara said that the rise in national exports by 4.6% to 5.509 billion dinars indicates the continued ability of Jordanian production sectors to access foreign markets, especially in the clothing, fertilizers, and potash sectors. The growth of fertilizers and potash is particularly important as they are among the most important sources of foreign currency, while the growth of clothing reflects the continued importance of the industrial sector in employment and export growth.

He added: “It must be noted here that the decline in phosphate, jewelry, and gold exports confirms the importance of diversifying the export base and not relying on a limited number of goods and markets, with greater focus on manufacturing raw materials and converting them into products with higher added value.”

He mentioned that the improvement in the export coverage ratio for imports from 51% to 55%, and the reduction in the trade deficit by about 331 million dinars, are positive indicators, but the continued deficit at high levels means that the trade imbalance remains a structural challenge for the Jordanian economy.

He added that the rise in oil and oil derivatives imports by 45.8% confirms the importance of continuing to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce the energy bill and improve the trade balance.

Makhamara explained that the decline in the import of machinery, equipment, and vehicles contributed to reducing the trade deficit, but if it continues for a long time, it may reflect weakness in investment and production. Therefore, the goal is not to reduce imports in general, but to reduce unnecessary consumer imports, while increasing the import of technology and machinery that increase production capacity.

Makhamara concluded that the general trend of foreign trade in Jordan during 2026 is positive, but what is required is to move from just increasing the value of exports to raising their quality and added value, diversifying markets and products, enhancing local manufacturing, and developing Jordan as a regional center for trade and logistics services.

Financial and economic expert Dr. Muhammad Al-Hadb Al-Sarhan said that the rise in total exports during the first seven months of 2026 by 10.3% to 6.395 billion dinars, along with a lower rise in imports of 2.4%, represents a positive indicator of the improvement in the performance of foreign trade. The reduction in the trade deficit by 6%, i.e. by about 331 million dinars, and the increase in the export coverage ratio for imports from 51% to 55%, means that the growth in exports has begun to be reflected significantly on the trade gap.

Al-Sarhan explained that it is important to distinguish between the growth of total exports and national exports; national exports rose by 4.6% to 5.509 billion dinars, while re-exports jumped by 67.2% to 886 million dinars. In calculation, a large part of the increase in total exports came from re-exports, which is a positive development that enhances Jordan's role as a center for trade and logistics services, but the greatest impact on employment and production is achieved when national exports themselves accelerate and the added value generated within the economy rises.

He pointed out that the growth of clothing exports by 4.1%, fertilizers by 12%, and raw potash by 11.7%, confirms the continued strength of a number of Jordanian export sectors, but the next phase must focus on an additional question: how much of each dinar exported remains within the Jordanian economy? The rise in the proportion of local components and services within the exported product means a greater impact on factories, suppliers, workers, and wages, and makes export growth more linked to real economic growth.

Al-Sarhan pointed out that the rise in exports to Syria by 33.8%, to China by 74.8%, and to the European Union by 20.3%, opens an opportunity to move from general promotion of exports to more precise targeting of markets. The need is to identify the Jordanian products that have succeeded in each market, and to know the reasons for their success, and then to help other companies enter the same market by addressing the requirements of specifications, transportation, distribution, and financing, so that every increase in exports becomes a door for new products and companies.

Al-Sarhan concluded by saying that the improvement in the coverage ratio to 55% is an important step, but it also means that every 100 dinars of imports are still matched by exports of only 55 dinars. Therefore, the priority is not to reduce imports just to reduce them, but to accelerate the growth of national exports and diversify markets and products, and to link each export sector with a chain of local suppliers and new investments. And when export growth translates into additional factories, jobs, and higher local value, its impact becomes much greater than just improving the trade balance figure.

Former representative of the clothing and knitwear sector in the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Engineer Ehab Qadri, said that the foreign trade data for the first seven months of 2026 reveals a positive development that should not be read only from the angle of the 10.3% rise in total exports, but from the angle of the simultaneous improvement in a number of indicators of the external sector.

He added that national exports rose by 4.6%, compared to a 2.4% growth in imports, and the trade deficit decreased by 6%, while the export coverage ratio for imports reached 55%. This relationship between the indicators is more important than any single figure, as it means that improving the trade balance must come increasingly from expanding the productive and export capacity of the economy, not from contracting imports or domestic demand.

He said that the continued concentration of a significant part of national exports in clothing, fertilizers, and potash confirms the strength of these sectors, but it also reveals the next structural challenge: expanding the export economy base with new products, companies, and sectors, and raising the local content and added value, so that exports become a deeper driver of growth, investment, and employment, which is the essence of the vision for economic modernization.

He added that the other shift that deserves attention is the reshaping of the geographical map of Jordanian exports; the rise in national exports to Syria by 33.8%, to the European Union by 20.3%, and to China by 74.8%, opens an important window for diversifying markets at a time when protectionism and geopolitical risks are increasing, and global trade chains are being reshaped. Here, the economic value of the royal tours, international relations of the Kingdom, when translated, through government follow-up and organized effort of the private sector, into access to markets, partnerships, investments, and new trade flows.

Qadri mentioned that the next phase must move from opening markets to building a sustainable share in them; because success is not measured by a high growth rate in a market during one year, but by our ability to increase the number of exporters and products, and to consolidate their presence for years, and to attract investments that produce from Jordan for these markets. Then we have moved from export growth as a number to building an export economy as a system.