Egypt has enjoyed a "very successful" citrus flowering period, thanks to weather conditions. Mr Ahmed Serhan, CEO of Frutella, stated: "During the citrus' flowering season, we didn't have temperature fluctuations between day and night. We had less humidity and no fogging. Thanks to favorable weather conditions, we will have a bigger quantity and better quality of produce". Mr. Ahmed Serhan, foresees an increase in Egyptian production of 20%, reaching 3.9 million tons in 2023.
As for markets, the Egyptian producer points to the need to diversify the export destinations of Egyptian citrus. Egypt's traditional markets in Europe and China are not doing well. Mr Sarhan stated: "In Europe, the situation in Eastern Europe has casted its shadow on the rest of the continent, causing a liquidity crisis and a drop in demand. In China, the recurrent curfews and lockdowns are causing serious logistical disruptions. The Middle East is not a good option either because of the business processes, namely the consignment".
The producer is therefore considering other distant markets, in the Far East such as Singapore and Malaysia, in South Asia such as India and Bangladesh, as well as in Canada and Brazil.
Mr. Ahmed Sarhan minimized the impact of the conditions that render producers in difficulty elsewhere. The water supply crisis is not yet a lived reality in Egypt, but could be by 2050. The devaluation of the Egyptian pound has helped offset rising energy costs and maintain, albeit perhaps temporarily, Egyptian citrus prices.
Mr. Ahmed Sarhan will be present at the Fruit Logistica exhibition in February in Berlin.
For more information:
Ahmed Sarhan
Frutella
Tel: +201006055059
Email: ahmed.serhan@frutella.com