Development of milk production and the dairy industry in Jordan

Development of the dairy industry plays an important role in the economy of Jordan. During the early 70's, Jordan established programs to promote dairy farming. Farmers imported improved dairy cows, complying with top industry operating standards, in addition to introducing the latest technology in processing, packaging and distribution. However, the previous dairy farming management programs and the lack of water and feed resources have partially hampered the dairy industry and still pose a problem due to the increasing dairy cow numbers. Jordan experienced noticeable growth in milk production and consumption during the last two decades. Milk production was growing by 5.4% between 2002 and 2007. The objective of this article is to show the recent developments in milk production in Jordan. It also attempts to understand the drivers for the development in milk production.