Qatar and Jordan expanded their bilateral trade in 2024, reaching 910 million Qatari riyals, up 5.81 percent from the previous year, driven by higher imports of Jordanian food and consumer goods. The trade balance between the two economies rose by 5.6 percent year on year over the 12-month period, with total commerce increasing from 800 million riyals in 2022 to 860 million riyals in 2023, according to data from Qatar’s Planning and Statistics Authority as reported by the Jordan News Agency. This uptick forms part of a steadily rising trade and economic relationship between Jordan and Qatar that has been building since the Joint Business Council was established in 2015. In November, Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met to discuss ways to deepen cooperation across multiple fields, including economic development, trade, investment, and infrastructure. Jordan’s major exports to Qatar last year included a broad array of food and consumer goods, ranging from fresh and processed foods to vegetables, fruits, and meats, as well as dairy products and grains. Other notable food exports encompassed fresh cheeses, poultry, sweets, and rice, with juiced items like juices, nuts, oils, pickles, herbs, and honey also contributing to the trade mix. Eggs and Jordanian coffee were also traded, illustrating the spectrum of Jordanian perishables and staple commodities moving toward Qatar. On the flip side, Qatar’s exports to Jordan were predominantly chemicals and industrial products, including motor oils, sulfuric acid, aluminum molds, and paraffin. Additional key Qatari exports to Jordan included polyethylene, iron rods, chemical fertilizers, as well as plastic bags, organic fertilizers, and medical solutions. The rise in trade ties between Qatar and Jordan is part of a broader trend toward expanding regional commerce, a trend that is also reflected in notable growth in Jordan’s trade with Saudi Arabia during the same period. In the third quarter of 2024, Saudi exports to Jordan reached 3.78 billion Saudi riyals (about 1.01 billion USD), marking a 15.95 percent year-on-year increase. Non-oil exports from Saudi Arabia to Jordan totaled 2.26 billion riyals, with rubber and plastic products accounting for 766.7 million riyals and chemicals contributing 320.2 million. Jordan’s exports to Saudi Arabia in the same period were valued at 1.49 billion riyals. With ongoing efforts to bolster economic ties, the trade relationship between Qatar and Jordan is expected to continue its positive trajectory.
Overview of Qatar–Jordan Trade in 2024
Key figures and year-on-year dynamics
In 2024, bilateral commerce between Qatar and Jordan stood at 910 million Qatari riyals, reflecting a moderate but meaningful expansion of roughly 5.81 percent compared to the previous year. This growth aligns with a broader pattern of intensifying interregional trade activity, particularly as Middle Eastern economies diversify away from single-sector dependencies. The year’s data show that the trade balance between the two economies increased by about 5.6 percent on a year-over-year basis across the full 12-month window. The total trade figure marks a continuation of a trend in which the two countries have progressively elevated their commercial engagement, reinforcing the importance of non-oil and non-traditional sectors in regional economic diversification strategies. The reported figures come from Qatar’s Planning and Statistics Authority and have been relayed by the Jordan News Agency, underscoring the reliability and cross-border corroboration of the numbers.
Historical trajectory and policy framework
The dynamic between Qatar and Jordan has evolved notably since the inception of the Joint Business Council in 2015. Established to facilitate high-level dialogue and practical collaboration, the council has served as a focal point for identifying bottlenecks, aligning regulatory standards, and fostering collaborative opportunities across sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, and services. The council’s work, anchored in regular consultations and joint initiatives, has helped to translate policy pronouncements into concrete trade actions, including simplified customs procedures, joint ventures, and tech-transfer initiatives that enhance supply chain resilience. The 2015 origin of this framework signals a deliberate shift toward structured economic diplomacy, where both sides leverage their complementary strengths—Jordan’s robust agricultural and processed-food sectors and Qatar’s financial resources and logistics capabilities—to expand mutual trade and investment flows.
High-level engagements and diplomatic momentum
In late 2024, key leaders from Jordan and Qatar engaged in high-level discussions aimed at broadening cooperation beyond traditional trade into areas such as infrastructure development, investment partnerships, and shared economic development programs. These talks, underscored by mutual interest in diversification and resilience, reflect a strategic intent to lock in long-term collaboration that can weather global economic fluctuations and regional uncertainties. By focusing on infrastructure, investment, and development projects, both governments signal a multidisciplinary approach to partnership—one that seeks to synchronize policy incentives, regulatory alignment, and private sector engagement to maximize the impact of bilateral ties.
Trade composition and sectoral highlights
The 2024 trade mix between Jordan and Qatar illustrates a classic two-way exchange pattern characteristic of a diversified bilateral relationship. Jordan remained a supplier to Qatar in food and consumer goods—covering a wide spectrum from fresh and processed foods to vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy, grains, and staple items—including eggs and coffee—while Qatar’s outbound shipments leaned heavily on chemicals and industrial goods. Jordan’s exported repertoire extended to fresh cheeses, poultry, sweets, and rice, with complementary items such as juices, nuts, oils, pickles, herbs, and honey contributing to the overall package. In parallel, Qatar supplied to Jordan essential chemical and industrial inputs—motor oils, sulfuric acid, aluminum molds, and paraffin—alongside base chemicals and packaging materials like polyethylene and plastic bags, as well as raw and agricultural inputs such as iron rods, chemical fertilizers, and organic fertilizers, and ultimately medical solutions. This balanced exchange reflects a mature, multi-sectoral partnership that supports consumer markets in Qatar and industrial and manufacturing needs in Jordan, while also offering the potential for shared value through technology transfer, quality standards, and product diversification.
Regional context and comparative dynamics with Saudi Arabia
The Qatar–Jordan trade corridor exists within a broader regional framework characterized by rising intra-regional commerce. Saudi Arabia’s trade relationship with Jordan—evidenced by Saudi exports to Jordan reaching 3.78 billion riyals in the third quarter of 2024 (about 1.01 billion USD) and a 15.95 percent year-on-year rise—illustrates how major Gulf economies are expanding their commercial footprints with neighboring states. Saudi non-oil exports to Jordan totaled 2.26 billion riyals, with rubber and plastic products contributing 766.7 million riyals and chemicals contributing 320.2 million. Jordan’s exports to Saudi Arabia in the same period stood at 1.49 billion riyals, highlighting an active two-way dynamic that complements Qatar–Jordan trade. Taken together, these regional dynamics point to a broader trend of diversified and resilient trade networks across the Gulf and Levant, with Jordan positioned as a corridor for both food security and industrial inputs, and Qatar playing a strategic role as a financial and logistical hub that can accelerate regional integration.
Implications for diversification and resilience
The 2024 performance underscores a deliberate shift toward diversification of trade destinations and product baskets. For Jordan, expanding exports to Qatar aligns with the country’s broader export diversification strategy, reducing exposure to any single market while expanding consumer access in a high-income Gulf market that structures demand around high-value foods, beverages, and consumer goods. For Qatar, sourcing a wider array of Jordanian foodstuffs and consumer products strengthens food security and helps meet diverse consumer preferences with trusted regional suppliers. The ongoing expansion of regional trade ties, including the Saudi–Jordan collaboration and the Qatar–Jordan engagement, signals a more integrated Middle East where value chains, standards, and logistics are harmonized to support faster, more reliable cross-border flows. This diversified regional trading architecture also enhances resilience against global supply chain shocks by creating multiple, complementary channels for the movement of goods, capital, and technology.
Sectoral Breakdown: Jordanian Exports to Qatar
Food and consumer products: core drivers of Jordanian outreach
Jordan’s export portfolio to Qatar centers on food and consumer goods that meet Qatar’s large, mobile, and price-conscious consumer base. The emphasis on fresh and processed foods, vegetables, and fruits reflects Jordan’s agricultural strengths, including diverse climatic zones and well-developed farming networks that enable a steady supply of high-quality produce. Dairy products, meats, and grains constitute key staples that support Qatar’s domestic demand for reliable, safe, and scalable food sources. Sweets, rice, and a spectrum of fresh cheeses add to the variety and depth of Jordan’s offerings, enabling retailers and wholesalers in Qatar to curate attractive assortments across different seasons. The presence of eggs and Jordanian coffee highlights the breadth of Jordanian-food culture represented in Qatar’s market, while juices, nuts, and oils offer additional categories that appeal to health-conscious consumers and value-seeking shoppers alike. Pickles, herbs, and honey illustrate the producer-side versatility that allows small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in regional trade, broadening the base of exporters beyond large-scale agribusinesses. Together, these categories illustrate a well-rounded, import-oriented strategy by Jordan’s producers to serve a high-value market in Qatar, leveraging competitive pricing, quality, and consistency to build brand recognition and ongoing demand.
Vegetables, fruits, and staple foods
The emphasis on vegetables and fruits signals Jordan’s agronomic diversity and the ability to supply clean, safe, and high-quality produce that meets Qatar’s stringent retail standards. The mix of fresh and processed forms provides flexibility for Qatar’s logistics networks, retailers, and hospitality sectors. Staple foods such as grains and rice, alongside dairy and meat products, contribute to sustaining everyday consumption in Qatar and help stabilize supply chains for large consumer bases, including expatriate communities. The inclusion of fresh cheeses and poultry reinforces the profile of Jordanian dairy and protein sectors while expanding the range of formats available to buyers, from bulk commodities to value-added packaged goods. This segment demonstrates the capacity of Jordanian producers to align seasonal harvests and processing capabilities with the demand cycles in a solvent market like Qatar, where consumer expectations emphasize quality, safety, and timely delivery.
Egg products, coffee, and pantry staples
Eggs and Jordanian coffee form notable niche elements within the overall export mix. Eggs offer a versatile protein source that pairs with diverse culinary traditions in Qatar, while Jordanian coffee resonates with shared cultural affinities and a growing specialty-coffee segment within Gulf markets. The presence of pantry staples, including seasonings, oils, and honey, complements the broader food export basket by meeting household needs and culinary preferences in Qatar. The inclusion of pickles and herbs adds flavor diversity, enabling Jordanian producers to differentiate their products through distinctive profiles, packaging formats, and value propositions that appeal to retailers seeking unique, authentic regional offerings.
Nuts, oils, and related products
Nuts and oils feature prominently in Jordan’s export lineup, providing both value and diversification in product types. These items support Qatar’s demand for healthy fats, plant-based proteins, and snack options, while allowing Jordanian exporters to tap into stable channels through established distribution networks. The presence of oils—particularly edible variants—also aligns with consumer trends toward convenience, shelf-stable formats, and ready-to-use culinary ingredients. Packaging innovations and shelf-life enhancements further enable Jordanian suppliers to compete effectively in Qatar’s dynamic retail and hospitality supply chains.
Food export quality and regulatory alignment
Across these categories, quality standards, food safety certifications, and traceability play critical roles in sustaining and expanding Jordan’s export footprint in Qatar. Producers must align with Qatar’s import requirements, labeling standards, and hygienic practices to minimize friction at entry points and ensure reliable replenishment cycles for retailers, distributors, and food service customers. The trajectory of Jordan’s food exports to Qatar is closely tied to the ability of producers to scale operations, maintain consistent quality, and respond to shifting tastes and demand patterns driven by Qatar’s large consumer base and tourism sector dynamics.
Sectoral Breakdown: Qatar Exports to Jordan
Chemicals and industrial inputs: foundational trade pillars
Qatar’s exports to Jordan are dominated by chemicals and industrial products, a category that supports Jordan’s manufacturing base and infrastructure projects. Motor oils provide lubricants essential for automotive fleets, manufacturing lines, and service sectors, while sulfuric acid serves a wide range of industrial applications, including mining, chemical processing, and water treatment. Aluminum molds facilitate tool and die manufacturing, as well as product prototyping across Jordan’s industrial landscape, and paraffin contributes to various uses in energy, packaging, and maintenance industries. These inputs represent a core package of raw materials and intermediate goods that enable Jordan to sustain manufacturing output, improve productivity, and pursue value-added production strategies.
Plastics and polymers: packaging and industrial use
Polyethylene and plastic bags are central to Jordan’s packaging needs, supporting consumer goods distribution, food packaging, and retail operations. The availability of robust polymer inputs helps manufacturers maintain product integrity, extend shelf life, and meet hygiene standards in food processing, logistics, and consumer electronics segments. The broader category of plastics and polymer products also intersects with construction, consumer goods, and industrial packaging, enabling Jordan to source reliable materials for diverse projects and supply chains.
Iron, metals, and related materials
Iron rods and related metal products constitute a foundational element of Jordan’s construction and infrastructure sectors, supplying reinforcing materials for buildings, roads, and other critical projects. Access to reliable metal inputs supports domestic capacity to execute turnkey development programs, facilitate maintenance operations, and enable the expansion of public and private sector works. The sourcing of such metals from Qatar reinforces the region’s integrated supply chains and reduces lead times for essential construction materials.
Fertilizers and agricultural inputs
Chemical fertilizers and organic fertilizers from Qatar are vital for sustaining Jordan’s agricultural productivity and soil health. Given Jordan’s climate and farming systems, access to high-quality fertilizers supports crop yields, nutrient management, and sustainable farming practices. The steady supply of these inputs helps stabilize agricultural output, enabling farmers to plan more effectively and support both domestic consumption and export-oriented initiatives.
Packaging, healthcare solutions, and ancillary products
Plastic bags and packaging materials continue to be a strategic import for Jordan’s retail and manufacturing sectors, enabling efficient product handling, storage, and distribution. Medical solutions sourced from Qatar contribute to the healthcare ecosystem, helping to address hospital and clinic supply needs, pharmaceuticals, equipment, and related services. This category reflects a broader trend toward importing essential industrial and health-related goods that bolster Jordan’s service delivery and public health infrastructure.
Regional Trade Context and Strategic Implications
Broader trend toward regional trade diversification
The Qatar–Jordan trade relationship is embedded within a broader pattern of rising regional commerce, where Gulf economies are increasingly engaging with Levant and neighboring markets to diversify supply chains and broaden access to goods and services. This trend complements existing intraregional trade growth and signals a shift toward more resilient economic architectures built on multiple, overlapping value chains. The Saudi–Jordan trade dynamic, with substantial quarterly figures and a mix of non-oil and essential goods, further illustrates how regional cooperation is expanding beyond energy-centric links into comprehensive industrial and consumer exchanges. The combined effect of these interactions is a more interconnected Middle East, where cross-border collaborations foster stability, resilience, and shared economic growth.
Implications for local industries and employment
For Jordan’s agriculture, food processing, and light manufacturing sectors, access to Qatar’s demand for diverse food products and consumer goods provides a meaningful growth channel. Producers can scale, diversify, and upgrade capabilities to meet higher quality standards, potentially expanding employment opportunities and creating new value-added activities. Conversely, Qatar benefits from a steady inflow of strategic inputs, enabling its domestic market to flourish while diversifying trade routes away from reliance on a single partner. The resulting synergies can encourage joint ventures, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing across sectors such as packaging, food safety, logistics, and manufacturing efficiency.
Infrastructure, logistics, and policy alignment
Key to realizing the full potential of these trade collaborations is continued attention to logistics efficiency, regulatory alignment, and infrastructure readiness. Harmonizing standards, reducing customs friction, and improving cross-border energy and transport corridors can further shorten delivery times, decrease costs, and improve reliability for both exporters and importers. Investment in shared services, incubation facilities for small and medium-sized enterprises, and cooperative infrastructure projects can help sustain momentum and translate bilateral trade into broader economic development benefits for both nations.
Institutional Ties and Strategic Cooperation Framework
The Joint Business Council: its role and impact
Since its establishment in 2015, the Joint Business Council has functioned as a formal platform for dialogue and collaboration between Jordan and Qatar. The council fosters practical cooperation, identifies market opportunities, and helps align regulatory environments to facilitate smoother cross-border operations. By providing a structured channel for business leaders, policymakers, and industry associations to engage, the council accelerates the translation of government programs into real-world commercial activity. The ongoing relevance of this framework is evident in the sustained trade growth and the expansion of sectoral exchanges across food, chemicals, packaging, and infrastructure inputs.
High-level diplomacy and economic diplomacy synergy
The 2024 high-level discussions between Jordanian and Qatari leaders underscore a governance approach that couples diplomacy with economics. By addressing economic development, trade, investment, and infrastructure in a cohesive agenda, leaders signal a long-term commitment to integrated growth that leverages both countries’ comparative advantages. This approach aims to unlock capital, technologies, and know-how that can accelerate the expansion of bilateral trade, enhance regional supply chains, and deepen market access for a broad range of goods and services.
Policy alignment and market access
A critical element of sustained growth is policy alignment that reduces non-tariff barriers and streamlines market access. Mutual recognition of standards, certification processes, and quality benchmarks can facilitate faster entry for Jordanian food products into Qatar and for Qatari industrial inputs into Jordanian markets. As regulatory frameworks evolve, ongoing dialogue helps to anticipate changes, manage expectations, and ensure that businesses on both sides can plan with greater certainty. This alignment also supports entrepreneurial activity and investment by reducing perceived risk and enabling more predictable returns on cross-border ventures.
Outlook: Prospects and Considerations for 2025 and Beyond
Continued expansion and resilience
The 2024 data points to a continuing trend of expanding bilateral commerce between Qatar and Jordan, with a trajectory that is likely to persist in the near term. The combination of Jordan’s agricultural and consumer-goods strengths and Qatar’s logistics capacity and financial resources creates a complementary ecosystem that can absorb shocks and adjust to shifting demand patterns. As regional trade networks mature, both sides may benefit from deeper integration in supply chains, enhanced distribution networks, and more robust market intelligence. The prospect of further diversification—adding more value-added products, exploring new product lines, and expanding service-enabled trade—could help sustain elevated trade levels over the coming years.
Potential drivers and strategic levers
Several factors could influence the pace and composition of future trade. On the Jordanian side, continued emphasis on quality assurance, product diversification, and cost-efficient production can broaden Qatar-bound exports beyond traditional staples. For Qatar, the expansion of logistics facilities, storage capacities, and favorable investment environments can attract more Jordanian partners and enable larger-scale collaborations. Strategic leverage might include joint ventures in agro-processing, packaging innovations, and technology-enabled agricultural practices, all designed to improve competitiveness and create sustainable supply chains. The growth of tourism, hospitality, and consumer demand in Qatar could also act as a catalyst for a broader import program from Jordan.
Risks and considerations
While the outlook is positive, several risks warrant attention. Global commodity price fluctuations, currency movements, and supply chain disruptions could impact trade volumes and pricing dynamics. Regulatory changes, shifts in political dynamics, or shifts in regional security considerations could alter risk assessments for cross-border investment and trade. Both countries will benefit from maintaining robust monitoring mechanisms, transparent dispute resolution channels, and contingency plans to manage potential disruptions. Continued emphasis on quality standards, traceability, and regulatory compatibility will help mitigate risks and sustain confidence among buyers and suppliers in both markets.
Strategic implications for regional integration
The Qatar–Jordan trade expansion contributes to a broader regional integration agenda that policymakers across the Gulf and Levant region view as a strategic pillar for long-term stability and prosperity. By strengthening cross-border commercial ties, both nations can help catalyze broader synergies, including joint infrastructure projects, knowledge sharing, and talent development. The cumulative impact of these efforts can strengthen regional resilience, create diversified growth opportunities, and support social and economic development objectives across multiple sectors.
Conclusion
The 2024 performance of Qatar–Jordan trade reflects a deliberate, multi-dimensional strategy to broaden economic ties beyond traditional lines. With trade totaling 910 million QAR and a year-on-year increase of 5.81 percent, the bilateral relationship underscores a robust exchange in which Jordan supplies a wide array of food and consumer goods to Qatar, while Qatar contributes essential chemicals, industrial inputs, and packaging materials to Jordan’s economy. The growth in the trade balance, coupled with a shared commitment to institutional frameworks like the Joint Business Council and high-level diplomatic engagement, signals a sustainable path toward deeper economic cooperation. The broader regional context—highlighted by Saudi Arabia’s significant trade with Jordan—illustrates a trend toward interconnected markets in the Gulf and Levant, where diversification, resilience, and collaborative development projects form the foundation of long-term stability and prosperity. As both countries continue to pursue infrastructure development, investment, and trade expansion, the Qatar–Jordan partnership is poised to play an increasingly important role in shaping regional economic dynamics and creating broader opportunities for businesses, workers, and consumers alike.
