His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday inaugurated a leading agricultural project implemented by international food company Del Monte in partnership with the Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan Badia, at a total investment of JD12 million, as part of the Sabha Development Project in Mafraq.

The project, which provides around 200 jobs for local residents and utilises the latest agricultural technologies within the highest international standards, aims to develop the Jordanian agricultural product and increase agricultural exports to international markets.

King Abdullah toured the facility, which includes a nursery and greenhouses, and was briefed on the technology used to control the climate through an automated system.

His Majesty was also briefed by Del Monte Jordan Regional Director Jad Asfour on the produce and crops produced by the project, as well as the methods of research and development employed.

The project extends over an area of 100 dunums from the Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan Badia in Sabha, producing mainly tomatoes in addition to lettuce, pepper and herbs.

Del Monte, one of the world's leading producers of fruits and vegetables, started working on the Mafraq project in 2018.

According to Del Monte’s regional director, the project consists of 10 greenhouses with an area of 10 dunums each, in addition to an advanced nursery that supplies the project with seedlings, and a vegetable canning facility, as well as other facilities.

The project currently produces 3,000 tonnes of high-quality tomatoes for export annually, with expansion plans that include the development of other agricultural products and the adoption of Jordan as a hub to export agricultural technology.

Sharifa Zein Bint Nasser, the president of the fund’s board of trustees, highlighted the role of the Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan Badia in attracting investment projects to Badia regions to help reduce poverty and unemployment levels, while developing the agricultural expertise of local farmers.

The Sabha Development Project, implemented by the Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan Badia, includes several agricultural projects such as pomegranate and olive cultivation, as well as fodder cultivation.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Khasawneh and Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Shahahdeh accompanied His Majesty on the visit.