RIYADH: More than 60 percent of Jordanian exports to the US will retain zero-tariff treatment, while the remainder will face an additional duty of 10 percent, according to Jordan’s minister of industry, trade and supply.   Yarub Qudah said the apparel and garment sector, along with pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and phosphate, had secured full exemption from the additional tariffs, Jordan News Agency, or Petra, reported.    The arrangement preserves preferential access for Jordanian products amid changes to US tariff policy and places the 10 percent levy among the lowest rates introduced under Washington’s latest measures, Qudah said.   The arrangement comes as Washington has expanded the use of tariffs as a tool of trade and economic policy, including a 10 percent Section 301 tariff on Jordanian goods tied to US concerns over forced-labor import restrictions.   The measure includes exemptions for specified products, while the new US-Jordan reciprocal trade agreement sets out preferential treatment for qualifying Jordanian goods.  “Qudah stressed that the new arrangement does not replace the Jordan-US Free Trade Agreement, but operates within its framework and is grounded in its provisions,” the Petra report stated.   It added: “The agreement remains in force and continues to provide the legal framework governing trade relations between the two countries.”      The government began negotiations shortly after the US announced its new tariff policy, holding several rounds of talks over the following months.     Trade framework     The US and Jordan signed an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on July 21, supplementing the bilateral free trade agreement signed in 2000 and in force since December 2001.     The original agreement progressively removed tariffs between the two countries, with the Office of the US Trade Representative stating that duties were eliminated in January 2010.    Under the reciprocal trade agreement, the US applies the tariff treatment specified for qualifying Jordanian products in its tariff schedule, while Jordan continues to provide access for US goods under the original free trade agreement.       The White House said Jordan had committed through the reciprocal trade agreement to introduce and enforce prohibitions on goods produced using forced labor. The agreement also contains provisions covering technical trade barriers, agriculture, labor rights, digital trade and economic security.   Export outlook   The US remains one of Jordan’s most significant export markets. Bilateral goods trade totaled about $5.3 billion in 2025, according to US government data.     US imports from Jordan stood at $3.07 billion during the year, while US exports to the country reached $2.27 billion. Including services, bilateral trade was estimated at $7.2 billion.     During the first seven months of 2026, the US imported $1.56 billion of Jordanian goods and exported $1.53 billion, leaving the goods trade balance close to parity, US Census Bureau figures showed.     The tariff understanding comes as Jordan seeks to broaden its overseas markets. Jordan’s total exports rose by more than 14 percent in the first half of 2026, extending an 11.5 percent increase recorded in 2025, according to separate figures reported by Petra.     National exports increased by 6.2 percent during the first half, while re-exports climbed by 44 percent.   Qudah said the government would work with the private sector to use the US tariff exemptions to support exports, attract investment and expand Jordanian products’ presence in international markets.