2nd Jordan Flower Show kicks off

Amman: Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with Jordanian Association for Cut Flowers and Ornamental Plants, on Thursday held the 2nd Jordan Flower Show at Al Hussein Parks, on the occasion of the Kingdom's celebrations of the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty's assumption of his constitutional powers. Speaking during the opening ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, said the ministry is working within National Plan for Sustainable Agriculture and axes of rural development and women's empowerment. Hneifat added that this drive aims to continue exhibitions and festivals that support efforts to promote rural products, within the Kingdom's policy to develop direct marketing of rural products to support productive families in the Kingdom's governorates. Hneifat said these shows took a "different" shape by training concerned associations and productive women, primarily packaging, product quality and provision of government interest-free loans. In this regard, Hneifat noted a share of loans to yout h and women during the past year exceeded JD60 million, which was directed to pilot projects and shortage crops and rural development, indicating that this package is part of a lending process that surpassed JD160 million. In the past, he said Jordan's flower imports exceeded JD18 million annually and the Kingdom now exports flowers worth up to JD5 million. Source: Jordan News Agency