Examining Organic Food Purchases and Preferences Within Jordan

Abstract

Continuing economic development in Jordan provides potential food marketing opportunities as a new group of prospective value-added food product consumers emerges. The growing demand for high-value foods such as organically produced items also provides a new potential value-added market for Jordanian farmers. No studies to our knowledge have examined consumer preferences toward organic food items within Jordan. This study provides an initial attempt to fill this knowledge gap by examining the market for organic food items from a demand perspective in order to increase the knowledge available to Jordanian farmers, food processors, and retailers.

KEYWORDS:

• certification
• constraints
• motivation
• organic
• stated preference

Acknowledgments

This research was made possible through the support of New Mexico State University's Agricultural Experiment Station. The authors would like to thank the Jordan River Foundation for assisting in the data collection efforts, as well as Dr. Phil Harris of Coventry University, UK, for reviewing the survey instrument.

Notes

Note. – = category not collected; — = data not available.

^a May not total 100% due to rounding.

^b Source: Jordan Department of Statistics, various years.

^c The Jordan Department of Statistics groups bachelor's, graduate, and professional degree holders together.

^d An additional 8.4% of Jordanian citizens have an intermediate diploma (similar to a U.S. associate's degree).

Note. WTP = willingness to pay; — = parameter estimate not significant.

To this end, respondents were instructed that all potential tomato options were similar in all ways except for the four attributes identified in the conjoint question.

Not all respondents answered all survey questions; n = 147 for all statistics unless otherwise noted.

Exchange rate as of March 12, 2012.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jay M. Lillywhite

Jay M. Lillywhite earned his PhD in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and is now an associate professor in the Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business Department at New Mexico State University, where his research addresses agribusiness marketing challenges and opportunities.

Mohammad Al-Oun

Mohammad Al-Oun earned his PhD at Coventry University, UK and is now working as an organic farming expert at the Ministry of Environment and Water in Dubai, UAE, where he continues research and development work in the field of organic farming, rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems, and community empowerment.

Jennifer E. Simonsen

Jennifer E. Simonsen earned her MBA from New Mexico State University and is now a research specialist at New Mexico State University, where her research explores marketing and consumer preference issues affecting agriculture.