Farmers from the Jordan Valley are protesting the Ministry of Labor's decision to reduce the share of  arable land and vegetable crops of farmers to one worker for every ten acres.

One farmer told 'AmmanNet' that these new provisions will hurt the agricultural sector and added that the Ministry of Labor and Agriculture's decision regarding work permits will lead to the demise of the agricultural sector in the Valley.

Farmer Osman Al-Attiyan said that the low number of employees in the agricultural sector is an essential factor in the lack of production, especially in greenhouses. He added that the preparation of greenhouses for cultivation will begin in the coming months and these greenhouses require the work of at least five farmers.

Hashim Marazek farms in the area of Deir 'Alla and said that the Ministry of Labor cannot afford the additional financial costs it takes to employ workers and this will result in a jump in the number of local workers, which will cost even more.

The Director of Migrant workers in the Ministry of Labor, Abu Azzam told 'AmmanNet' that the Ministry of Labor is not responsible for these new provisions and plays a limited role in implementing the recommendations advised by the Ministry of Agriculture. These provisions came from a committee consisting of large-scale farmers, farmers unions, and a member of the Ministry of Labor and Agriculture.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture Nimir Haddadin said that limiting the number of foreign workers within each farm acre was agreed upon by the Ministry of Labor. He added that restricting the number of farmers to one worker for every ten acres is sufficient in terms of preparing the land for cultivation.

The total area of farm land in the Jordan Valley is about 316 thousand acres and the agricultural census results show that the agricultural sector has declined both in terms of its contribution to national income and actual arable land.