jordan pulse -

By Dr Fadel Zubi

For years, Jordan has witnessed heated debate over what seems like a technical issue but in fact strikes at the core of national food security — the use of milk powder in dairy production and the controls on its import and use. Some view it as a matter concerning manufacturers and importers, but it deeply affects a vital sector that sustains thousands of rural and Bedouin families and underpins local food sustainability.

Jordan currently produces over 1,200 tonnes of fresh milk daily, up from 900 tonnes five years ago — a marked improvement reflecting efforts in breed development, feeding systems, veterinary practices, and quality control. Around 90,000 cows contribute to this output, supplying some 200 factories that rely mainly on local milk. The dairy sector accounts for about 3% of agricultural GDP and provides thousands of jobs along with related activities such as transport, refrigeration, and marketing.

However, this progress faces a growing threat: the unregulated expansion of milk powder imports. With imported powder often 30–40% cheaper than local fresh milk, many factories are tempted to cut costs by relying on it. Without proper regulation, this trend could flood the market, reduce demand for fresh milk, and cause heavy losses for farmers — driving some out of business altogether.

This is not merely a matter of unfair competition but of gradual erosion of local production — a pattern seen in other countries. In India, for instance, rising imports reduced fresh milk output by 18% in five years, while Brazil lost over 20,000 small farms between 2010 and 2020.

For decades, the Ministry of Agriculture managed this file through a technical committee comprising representatives from industry, trade, customs, food and drug authorities, and standards institutions — alongside farmers and producers. The committee established clear import standards aligned with the Codex Alimentarius, curbing commercial fraud and ensuring transparency in blending ratios between fresh and powdered milk.

Recently, however, responsibility shifted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade — raising concern about whether this aligns with the production-based approach that food security demands. Milk, like meat and grain, is not just an industrial commodity but a key agricultural product that requires balanced management between farmer, producer, and consumer interests.

This begs the question: Where is the Higher Council for Food Security in all this?

Created under the Economic Modernisation Vision, the Council was meant to unify policies across food-related sectors, bridging production and consumption, trade and storage, agriculture and industry. It is the body capable of providing independent, science-based advice — free from sectoral bias.

The Council’s technical units can assess the quantitative and qualitative impact of import decisions on national self-sufficiency — currently around 55% in fresh milk — and propose measures balancing domestic production support with consumer affordability.

FAO data that countries with active national food security councils, such as Canada, the Netherlands, and France, maintain over 85% self-sufficiency in milk thanks to coordinated management and smart control of milk powder stocks.

Ignoring the Council’s role in such matters weakens Jordan’s food governance and risks fragmenting agricultural supply chains. The issue at stake is not just an industrial product but a vital protein source directly linked to citizens’ nutrition, economy, and security.

The goal is not to ban milk powder imports but to reorient policy under the Higher Council for Food Security, fostering balanced dialogue among farmers, manufacturers, consumers, and policymakers. The objective: a win–win formula — protect local production, develop the dairy industry, and ensure safe, fairly priced food for Jordanians.

Jordan has repeatedly shown its ability to balance market needs with food security, provided major decisions rest on institutional, data-driven foundations rather than short-term interests. Food security is not a slogan — it is a system of governance, science, and national awareness. The Higher Council must be the compass guiding every decision that affects Jordanians’ food today and in the future.

To move the debate beyond contention, the Council should take the lead through concrete steps:

1. Create a national database on milk production, manufacturing capacity, and consumption.


2. Set a flexible annual cap on milk powder imports tied to local production levels, reviewed every six months.


3. Launch an electronic tracking system linking factories to regulators to document usage ratios.


4. Conduct regular economic and social impact studies on import policies.


5. Make Council consultation mandatory for any decision or law affecting staple food items — especially milk.