Jordan purchased 50,000 tons of barley at $261 and announced a new tender for 120,000 tons

Jordan has purchased 50,000 tons of feed barley at a price of $261.25 per ton on C&F terms and is already preparing a new tender for 120,000 tons of grain. The last purchase was made by the country’s state grain importer on March 11, with the American company CHS winning the bid by offering the lowest price among participants. The delivery of the grain is scheduled for the first half of July.

This is reported by AgroReview

Competition and Savings: How the Tender Affected Prices

Six major traders participated in the international tender. Bids ranged from $261.25 to $273.95 per ton. Specifically, Cargill offered $273.95, Louis Dreyfus — $273, Ameropa — $272.90, Buildcom — $272.27, Bunge — $266, and Olam — $264.64 per ton. Thanks to the lowest price, CHS won the tender, with a difference of nearly $12 per ton compared to other bids. This allowed Jordan to save over $600,000 on the purchase volume.

The scheme is clear: announce a large tender, buy part at the best price, and procure the rest later. This keeps the market under competitive pressure and avoids overpaying.

Small Batch Strategy and Market Impact

Jordan has previously employed the tactic of purchasing in small batches. At the beginning of March, the country also bought only 50,000 tons out of the planned 120,000, with Bunge winning at a price of $260.50 per ton. This approach allows the government to create price competition among suppliers and avoid overpayments.

According to the Jordanian Ministry of Trade and Supply, a new tender for 100,000–120,000 tons of barley was announced on March 6. Traders expect additional requests for batches of 50,000–60,000 tons to emerge soon, with shipments scheduled for July and August.

Jordan remains an important grain importer from the Black Sea region. According to USDA forecasts, in the marketing year 2025/2026, the country will import about 1.1 million tons of barley with domestic consumption at 900,000 tons, indicating stable demand and regular replenishment of strategic reserves. Ukraine, as one of the main suppliers, maintains a leading position in this market.

Jordan’s activity in the tender market in March signals sustained demand for feed barley in the second quarter of the year, supporting grain prices in the region. The next tender is expected to take place soon, with the price range remaining at $260–265 per ton C&F. Market participants with the ability to ship from Black Sea ports have an additional competitive advantage.