Egypt's imports of Irish dairy record €59M in 2020

CAIRO – 26 January 2021: The Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, indicated in its annual report that Irish dairy exports to Egypt recorded in 2020 €59 million up from €48 million in 2019 with an increase of 22 percent.  

The report points out that half of those exports is cheddar cheese making Ireland the top exporter of that kind of cheese to Egypt. The other half consists of butter, and milk powder, both skimmed and full cream. It is noted that over the past 10 years, Egypt's imports of dairy grew by 47 percent.

Further, Irish exports of dairy to Africa recorded €658 million in 2020 with North Africa mostly importing cheese, full cream milk, and skimmed milk.

In 2020, Bord Bia sent a delegation to Egypt to discuss opportunities of trade exchange between Egypt and Ireland. General Manager of Arab Cultivators Company Osama al-Tanbouly told press that Ireland is one of the top European exporters of milk powder for it enjoys high quality, special taste, and competitive prices. Speaking of Irish cheddar cheese, Ibrahim Sittin, Managing Director of Sittin Group, asserted that it is a main product offered by Mainz foods.

Bord Bia’s Africa manager Nicolas Ranninger told press that “Egypt, like Ireland, is a strong exporting nation. The Egyptian food sector is a vibrant industry investing massively to produce high quality products while the Egyptian authorities implement strict international standards in food production and processing. These combined efforts are driving the Egyptian food industry to success both in its home market but also internationally, and in particular in the MENA region.”

Ranninger said that the specific demand for Irish dairy in Egypt has doubled in value over the last five years, driven by demand for cheese which accounts for two thirds of this trade.

Ranninger noted that Ireland is a reliable and sustainable source of supply for the Egyptian industry where Origin green and the grass feeding system guarantee high quality dairy products.

Bord Bia will be strengthening business exchanges in 2021 by organising some privileged B2B discussion platforms such as hosting dairy ingredient forum in Egypt.