The representative of the foodstuffs sector in the Jordan Chamber of Commerce Raed Hamada Wednesday confirmed that increasing overnight curfew hours will deepen the sector's losses and overall repercussions of the coronavirus crisis.

In a press statement, he said the restaurants, foodstuffs and dessert shops sector can no longer bear the burdens of closures or any other new measures that affect their work.

Hamada said the government should resort to tightening public health and safety measures instead of imposing more closures and extending curfew hours. He noted that closures will bring challenges for the national economy and deepen the losses of companies as well as commercial and service establishments.

Hamada pointed out that re-imposing the total lockdown on Fridays has affected several sectors, especially restaurants, as they constitutes more than 50 percent of weekly activities.

Hamada indicated that the national economy is in dire need to accelerate economic growth while abiding by health and safety measures, but without closures that have proven harmful to the gross domestic product (GDP) and public revenues.

Hamada stressed that protecting the national economy is everyone's shared responsibility and people can do their part by adhering to defense orders, as well as public health and safety measures to limit further spreading of COVID-19.

Hamada reiterated the need to cancel or reduce taxes and customs imposed on basic food commodities, which will contribute to revitalizing the commercial sector and promoting investments. It would also create more job opportunities, especially within the Jordanian workforce, and in increase state treasury revenues.

Hamada said the economic sector is in urgent need of cash to finance the needs of the private sector to be able to withstand the repercussions of the pandemic.

Hamada called on members of the commercial and service sectors, especially restaurants and dessert shops, to abide by health and safety measures in order to be able to continue working.

The foodstuffs sector constitutes 30 percent of the local commercial sector and includes more than 50,000 establishments across the Kingdom.