Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Yousef Shamali said Saturday the government is committed not to raise the prices of bread despite global price hikes and had allocated JD277 million in the 2023 state budget to subsidize bread and animal fodder. He also reiterated during a meeting with the commercial sector in Irbid that the government had committed for the fourth year in a row not to raise taxes on any commodities in the local market. Shamali, who is also Labor Minister, said that closing the door for foreign workers came to regulate the sector, adding that a campaign by the ministries of interior and labor is underway across the governorates to crackdown on illegal workers. He also said that the government will keep channels open with economic sectors, and the commercial sector in particular, through regular visits to chambers of commerce across the governorates in coordination with the Jordan Chamber of Commerce. The commercial sector is a key economic sector, which contributes to 70 percent of GDP, he pointed out, noting the government’s keenness to partner with the private sector, particularly the commercial sector, which has been up to the task, especially during such hardships as Covid-19 and the repercussions of the Russia-Ukrainie war. Shamali said up-to-date international reports placed Jordan top of regional countries in maintaining the quality and price of its product. He also said the national economic modernization vision and 2023-2033 executive program are proceeding according to plan and within set priorities and objectives, pointing to the many achievements made during the first six months of the executive program.

Source: Jordan News Agency