Egypt's grapes exports more than double in 1 month

CAIRO – 21 September 2020: Egyptian Exports of grapes more than doubled in June hitting $128.3 million jumping from $62.9 million in May with an increase of $101.4 million.  

Agricultural exports recorded in June 2020 $231.7 million down from $244.6 million in June 2019 with a decline of $12.8 million.

The top exported crops in June 2020 are potato ($11.2 million), onion ($10.2 million), and vegetables ($6.4 million).

The trade balance deficit hit in June 2020 $3.3 billion rising by 8.6 percent compared to $3.6 billion in June 2019.

That is because the value of exports decreased by 7.9 percent to become $2.3 billion in June 2020 against $2.5 billion in June 2019.

That is attributed to the decline of the value of certain goods such as fresh fruits (10.5%), garments (2.5%), crude oil (46.3%), and microplastics (10.4%).  

The Cabinet plans to boost agricultural exports in FY2020/2021 by entering new markets through grapes, citrus, and garlic.

The targeted markets are Southeast Asia, Canada, and a number of African and Latin American countries.

The government wants to increase agricultural exports in the current fiscal year to 6.75 million tons from 5.58 million tons in FY2018/2019. The agricultural exports revenues in FY2019/2020 are estimated at LE2.48 billion and is planned to grow by 5-10 percent to record LE2.6-2.7 billion.

That is why the Cabinet plans to encourage the cultivation of horticulture crops, particularly those of which Egypt has achieved self-sufficiency. The percentage for zucchini, bell pepper and green beans is 105 percent, while that for citrus is 140 percent.

The government wants to enlarge the area cultivated with olives by 40,000 feddans as it is now 54,000 feddans and continue growing 100 million olive trees. That is in addition to expanding greenhouse farming like the 100,000 Greenhouse Project established by the Egyptian Armed Forces, and organic agriculture.