EGYPT – Egypt’s citrus industry is thriving as Juhayna Food Industries accelerates its agricultural expansion, meeting growing international demand for premium-quality produce.
Known primarily for its leadership in the dairy and juice sectors, the company has made significant strides in fresh citrus farming since launching its agricultural arm, Enmaa, in 2008.
With 320 hectares of citrus orchards across its Farafra and Bahariya Oasis farms, Juhayna’s recent harvests underscore its success.
Amr Eltarabolsy, agritrade manager at Juhayna, shared the company’s progress. “Our first year of production went great,” he said. “Orange production stood at 7,000 tonnes, with 3,000 tonnes exported, and lemon production reached 3,500 tonnes, with the majority, around 3,000 tonnes, exported.”
The company plans to increase its citrus farming footprint significantly. “We already cultivated an additional 480 hectares of citrus in 2024 at our Farafra farm and are planning another 600 hectares, including new products, in 2025 at the Bahariya farm,”
Eltarabolsy revealed. “Also, we acquired a new landbank of 2,000 hectares at the Farafra Oasis to be cultivated within the next three years with new varieties of citrus.”
Enmaa is poised to export Valencia oranges to the UK this year, a strategic move in light of the market’s stringent quality expectations.
“The UK is always one of the most promising markets in the fresh produce sector,” Eltarabolsy noted. “The biggest challenge in the UK is ensuring you deliver premium quality. In our case, we consider this a great opportunity, as our farms are already working in accordance with EU standards.”
Juhayna’s citrus products reach markets in the EU, Gulf countries, and Russia, with aspirations to expand into the Asia Pacific region. Eltarabolsy highlighted the company’s innovative practices: “By combining traditional farming techniques with cutting-edge technology, we ensure that our fresh produce meets the highest quality standards.”
Despite economic challenges in Egypt, Eltarabolsy remains optimistic about the company’s trajectory. “We are growing exponentially in all our sectors, so we’re very optimistic for the future,” he said.
“We use the Dacom software system on our farms to monitor data on weather forecasting, irrigation, and water use on our crops.”
Additionally, Egypt’s relatively stable climate positions it well against other regions facing severe climate impacts.
“When it comes to climate change, Egypt seems not to be as affected as other regions, which gives us an advantage in the fresh produce sector in the coming years,” Eltarabolsy explained.
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