Egyptian table grapes are still available for export, assures Salem Ghonim, consultant to various Egyptian grape companies. Ghonim says, “Some exporters are still offering Crimson calendars, this is the first time I’ve seen Egyptian grapes exported as late as September.”
“The season has been excellent,” continues Ghonim. “The performance of growers and exporters has been outstanding. Grapes came in 4th position in Egyptian agricultural exports this year, with 135,000 tons so far, and exported volumes are still on the rise.”
“48% of exported volumes went to European markets.
European demand remained stable compared with the previous season. The other half was exported to Russia, East Asian countries, and Arab countries, whose demand improved significantly this year. Decent volumes went to African countries, which are relatively new markets for Egyptian grapes. All in all, export volumes exceeded our expectations.”
In terms of prices, too, the campaign has been satisfactory for both growers and exporters, according to Ghonim. “We are grateful that prices have been excellent, because the opposite would have been problematic, given the general increase in production costs.”
All varieties performed well on the market, but some did better than others. According to Ghonim, white varieties were particularly popular this year.
Ghonim concludes, “One of the factors behind the campaign’s success is the fact that the season started exceptionally earlier than usual. It’s a valuable lesson: the sooner we start the season the better. Penetrating new markets is also very important, even if these markets are slow at first. Exporters have everything to gain by balancing their supply on more markets, and coordinating their efforts.”
For more information:
Salem Ghonim
Tel: +20 127 705 1153
Email: salemsh2018@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/salem-ghonim-9506a0159