Free zones attracted 23 new investments in first 9 months of 2020 — JFDZG

AMMAN — Jordan's free-trade zones attracted 23 new commercial and industrial investment contracts by the end of the third-quarter of 2020 and the number of investors in duty-free zones went up by 1 per cent to reach 2,640, compared with 2,619 during the same period of 2019.

According to the Jordan Free and Development Zones Group's (JFDZG) figures, investment contracts increased to 2,986 from 2,859 recorded in the corresponding period of 2019, showing an increase of 4 per cent.

JFDZG Chairman Khalaf Hmeisat, in a statement cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said that duty-free zones exports, during the aforementioned period, dropped by 8 per cent, down to JD1.792 billion from JD1.938 billion.

Exports of public free zones for foreign markets –transit — stood at JD1.079 billion in comparison with JD1.247 billion during the same period last year, dropping by 13 per cent, while exports to the local market rose to JD713 million by the end of the third quarter, up from JD691 million in the same period of 2019.

Despite the repercussions of the pandemic, JFDZG revenues registered a drop of seven per cent, the statement said, adding that the group collected JD15 million during the first third quarter, in comparison with JD16.2 million recorded in the same period of 2019, Petra reported.

As part of JFDZG's efforts towards attracting pharmaceutical investments, the JFDZ said that two new medical and dental supplies factories were opened in Queen Alia International Airport's duty-free zone.