ADFCA denies banning Egyptian strawberry imports

CAIRO – 20 June: Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) denied Tuesday issuing any statements or decisions regarding banning the import of Egyptian strawberries into the United Arab Emirates, Emirati 24 reported.

“Importing strawberries or any other type of fruits requires an official clarification from the Egyptian ministry of agriculture and land reclamation saying that it’s free of any pesticides,” the authority said in its statements.

The statement added that any fruits or vegetables imported into the country must comply with regulatory laws in the UAE.

Some media outlets have been publishing news regarding a ban on strawberries from Egypt to the UAE, shortly after the Saudi Arabian government issued a similar decision on June 18.

Head of Egypt's Agriculture Export Council, Abdel Hamid al-Demerdash said in statements that Saudi Arabia has informed the Egyptian authorities of the ban starting July 11 due to pesticide residues found on strawberries.

The strawberry trade represents about five to 10 percent of the total exported agriculture crops. According to Demerdash, strawberry exporting season usually starts in November and lasts until April 10.

He added that the volume of Egyptian agricultural exports reaches 1.2 million tons annually.