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This report is an annual update on the food imports certificates in Jordan. For assistance on trade policy and port issues in Jordan, U.S. exporters are encouraged to contact FAS Amman at AgAmman@usda.gov.

This report is an annual update on the food import standards and enforcement mechanisms in Jordan. For assistance on trade policy and port issues in Jordan, U.S. exporters are encouraged to contact FAS Amman at AgAmman@usda.gov.

Israel does not have a policy restricting the use of imported genetically engineered (GE) commodities or derivative products. There are no changes in Israel’s policy towards plant, animal biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology since 2023.

On March 8, 2020, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s cabinet of ministers approved the regulation, “Instructions for Handling Food and Food Products Originating from Genetically Modified Substances Produced by Modern Biotechnology for 2018,” which was published in Jordan’s Official Gazette on April 3, 2020.

The beef sector in Israel is growing and is heavily reliant upon imports. Israel’s lack of grazing land for cattle and an increasing population are the main factors contributing to the growth in demand for beef imports.

Genetically-engineered (GE) products are highly politicized in Germany. As the EU takes gradual steps towards potentially liberalizing NGTs, German public debate is beginning to shift from a general rejection of GE towards discussion regarding possible liberalization of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs).

With over 2,500 facilities, the Israeli food processing sector is an important player in the domestic economy. In 2022, Israeli food processors' annual revenue stood at $23.19 billion.

Jordan continues to rely heavily on imports for essential staples such as wheat, barley, corn, and rice due to limited domestic production and scarce water resources.

This report supplements GAIN report IS2-24-0020: Israel Adopts Additional European Union Standards for Agricultural Imports and includes translations of the documents from Hebrew to English referenced in the report.

On August 4, 2024, the Government of Israel published the “Tenth Amendment to the Protection of Public Health (Food) – 2015” legislation under the Food Reform Law, which adopted more than 40 new food directives and regulations aligning with European Union standards.

Germany is the largest market for food and beverages in the European Union importing USD 69 billion worth of consumer-oriented agricultural products in 2023. The food retail sector is saturated, highly consolidated, and competitive.

Israel is a net importer of all major categories of food products. The Israeli food retail sector was estimated to be $20.7 billion in 2023, and during the same year, Israel imported around $4.96 million of consumer-oriented products.