Cucumbers and gherkins market in Jordan

Earlier Report Observations

The market volume for fresh cucumbers and gherkins in Jordan declined steadily from 174.6 thousand tons in 2018 to 111.6 thousand tons in 2021. This contraction was driven by several price-increasing factors: in 2018, higher vegetable prices due to seasonal production gaps and trader markups raised costs for consumers. The following year, inadequate product classification and inconsistent merging at the central market widened price disparities among merchants, further dampening cucumber consumption. In 2020, increased transport and production costs pushed vegetable prices upward, adding pressure on local cucumber prices. The trend continued in 2021 when a new 4% tax on fresh vegetables, including cucumbers, was implemented, directly raising consumer prices and suppressing demand.

Market volume began to recover in 2022, rising 3.6% to 115.6 thousand tons, and jumped 17.4% in 2023 to reach 135.7 thousand tons. The 2022 increase occurred alongside a government decision to impose an additional tax on basic food items, including cucumbers, aimed at aligning prices with imported products, and persistent seasonal production shortfalls between harvests that caused supply fluctuations. In 2023, despite reported price hikes for vegetables during Ramadan due to tough economic conditions and inflation, cucumber market volume expanded significantly.

In 2024, Israel halted imports of Jordanian fruits and vegetables after cholera bacteria were detected in cucumbers and tomatoes, reducing export opportunities for Jordanian cucumbers to the Israeli market. Concurrently, a government adjustment of vehicle registration fees based on pre-customs prices helped lower transport costs for agricultural products, including cucumbers.

Production cucumbers and gherkins in Jordan

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

From 2017 to 2020, Jordan ranked 24th globally in the production of cucumbers and gherkins.

Top producers of cucumbers and gherkins, 2017-2020

World map of production of cucumbers and gherkins, 2017-2020

Jordan's production of cucumbers and gherkins fell for the second year in a row. In 2020, the country produced 146.3 thousand tonnes, marking a sharp decline of 24.5% compared to the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, production dropped by 23.3%, which translates to an average annual decrease of 8.5%. The highest output was in 2018, reaching 208.2 thousand tonnes, with the largest year-over-year increase of 9.1% also recorded that year.

Annual dynamics of production in Jordan in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Exports cucumbers and gherkins from Jordan

Exports in kind, t

In 2020, Jordan's exports of cucumbers and gherkins totaled 20 924 tonnes, showing a steep drop of 40.1% from the year before. Over the 2017-2020 period, exports fell by 55.2%, with a compound annual growth rate of -23.5%. The only increase during this time was in 2019, when exports rose by 4.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Jordan in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, three key markets—Kuwait, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates—collectively made up 54.6% of Jordan's total cucumber and gherkin exports by volume.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Jordan in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

After declining for two years, Jordan's cucumber and gherkin exports in value terms rebounded in 2020. That year, exports reached 23 860 thousand US dollars, a solid increase of 11.2% over 2019. However, from 2017 to 2020, overall export value decreased by 31.7%, averaging an annual drop of 11.9%. The lowest point was in 2019 at 21 458 thousand US dollars, which saw the largest decline of 23.8%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Jordan in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, Kuwait (23.5% of export value), Israel (18.7%), and the United Arab Emirates (16.4%) were the top buyers of cucumbers and gherkins from Jordan, together accounting for 58.6% of total export value.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Jordan in value, 2017-2020

Imports cucumbers and gherkins to Jordan

Imports in kind, t

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Jordan in kind, 2017-2020, t

During 2017-2020, the Netherlands dominated Jordan's cucumber and gherkin imports by volume, representing 99.6% of total imports.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Jordan in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Jordan in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, the Netherlands was the near-exclusive source for Jordan's cucumber and gherkin imports by value, with a 99.2% share of total imports.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Jordan in value, 2017-2020