Amman (IINA) : Jordanian Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat discussed here with German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Christian Schmidt and the accompanying delegation about the means to forge closer cooperation in the fields of agriculture and the efficient use of water.

Hneifat briefed the German delegation on Jordan’s agricultural sector, and problems facing the Kingdom’s exports due to the current political situation in the region, mainly in Iraq and Syria, Petra reported.

“The biggest challenge facing the agricultural sector is the halt in exports to Iraq,” he said, noting that 80 percent of the exports used to go to Iraq. The minister said that agricultural production reaches $4 billion annually through the consumption of 1 billion cubic meters of water.

The German minister voiced his country’s appreciation of efforts exerted by Jordan to host Syrian refugees and provide them with services.

He said that Germany has joint projects with the Jordanian government in the agricultural field and in improving water utilization efficiency.