Amman, June 15 (Petra) — The industrial sector could unlock billions
of dinars in new investment opportunities by replacing imports with
locally manufactured products, according to a new study by the Jordan
Chamber of Industry that identified nearly JD9 billion worth of
imports without domestic production alternatives.

The study, titled “Production Gaps and Import Substitution
Alternatives: Potential Investment Opportunities,” found significant
room for expanding local manufacturing across a wide range of
sectors, highlighting what it described as promising opportunities to
strengthen the industrial base, create jobs and increase the
contribution of industry to economic growth.

According to the chamber, the findings are based on an analysis of
Jordan’s foreign trade data and aim to identify industrial activities
that can be localized to reduce reliance on imports and increase
value-added production within the national economy.

The study revealed that a substantial portion of imports entering the
local market consists of products that are not currently manufactured
domestically, despite the existence of demand capable of supporting
viable industrial investments.

The analysis covered ten industrial sectors, including food
industries, engineering industries, pharmaceuticals, chemicals,
plastics, leather and garments, mining, construction materials, wood
industries, and packaging, paper and cardboard products.

The chamber said the strongest investment prospects are concentrated
in products that record high import values and persistent trade
deficits, while offering favorable conditions for domestic production
and industrial expansion.

It noted that investors entering these sectors would be able to
capitalize on established local demand, while also benefiting from
opportunities to expand into regional and international export
markets.

The study forms part of broader efforts to promote investment based
on market data and economic indicators, providing investors with a
practical roadmap to sectors where production gaps remain
significant.

The chamber stressed that the industrial sector possesses the
expertise, infrastructure and accumulated capabilities needed to
attract new investments and support the development of competitive
manufacturing industries.

Building on the findings, the chamber announced plans to launch a
second phase of the study that will provide detailed investment
profiles for each opportunity identified.

The next phase will include in-depth assessments of market size,
export potential, supply chains and preliminary investment
feasibility, offering investors a more comprehensive guide to
potential projects.

The chamber also pledged to work closely with government institutions
and private-sector stakeholders to promote the identified
opportunities and transform them into productive industrial ventures
that support employment, expand exports and contribute to the goals
of the Economic Modernization Vision.

It emphasized that addressing industrial production gaps represents a
strategic opportunity to strengthen economic resilience and reduce
dependence on external markets.

According to the study, localizing even part of the current import
bill could generate positive impacts on economic growth, improve the
trade balance and enhance the sustainability of industrial
development.

The chamber called for integrating the identified opportunities into
the national investment map to help channel capital toward priority
sectors and maximize the contribution of industry to the national
economy.

//Petra// RZ