EGYPT – Egypt set a new record for mango exports to Saudi Arabia in 2022, reclaiming its status as the largest supplier in this market that it had lost the previous year.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia imported 34,000 tonnes of mangoes from Egypt, which was a 60% increase compared to the previous year.
The increase can also be attributed to low yield in 2021, when mango production sharply declined due to adverse weather conditions, as reported by TheNationalNews.com. Temperature fluctuations led to early fruit drop.
As a result, mango exports from Egypt to Saudi Arabia fell to 21,000 tonnes in 2021, compared to 33,800 tonnes in 2020.
The mango export season from Egypt to Saudi Arabia begins with shipments of the earliest varieties in June. The peak of exports usually occurs from July to November, and trade volumes decrease to their minimum during the winter.
According to the available data for this year, 250 tonnes of mangoes were sent from Egypt to Saudi Arabia in June. This is a record figure for this month; however, it does not necessarily mean that a record should be expected for the entire year of 2023.
According to the same article from TheNationalNews.com, mango production in Egypt is highly dependent on weather conditions and varies significantly from year to year.
This year, many farmers frequently reported sunburn on mango fruits, which could negatively impact the overall export of this product from the country.
Mangoes with sunburns are mainly sold in the local market or used for processing. According to Hassan El-Refaey, a mango producer in one of the regions of Egypt, if there is at least one sunburned fruit in a crate with healthy mangoes, the discoloration spreads and ruins the rest of the batch.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia imported 80,000 tonnes of mangoes, making it the fourth-largest mango importer in the world.
The import volume of these fruits has been steadily increasing since 2019 and may reach a new record this year if Egypt can ensure corresponding exports to this market.
During the first half of this year, Saudi Arabia imported a record-breaking 54,000 tonnes of mangoes; however, this mainly consisted of products from Yemen.
On the other hand, the results of the second half of 2023 will depend almost entirely on the production situation in Egypt.
China’s market opening to Egyptian mangoes
Meanwhile, according to reports from Egyptian media outlets Masrawy and Ahram Online, the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation announced that China has signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt to open its market to Egyptian mangoes.
El-Sayed El-Quseir, the Egyptian Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, held a meeting with Wang Lingjun, vice minister of China’s General Administration of Customs, to discuss strategies for bolstering agricultural trade between the two nations and officially sign the memorandum of understanding.
Both parties agreed to work together to streamline procedures for agricultural product exchanges. They also jointly declared that the Chinese market will be open to Egyptian mangoes.
With this new development, Egypt now has another market for its mangoes, which will ensure an increase in foreign exchange.
For all the latest fresh produce industry news updates from Africa, Middle East and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
