Egyptian Orange Exports Expected To Hit 2 Million Metric Tons in 2023/24

According to the Egypt: Citrus Annual report recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, the northeast African country’s orange production is projected to increase by 2.7% to 3.7 million metric tons in the 2023/24 season, with exports expected to reach 2.0 million metric tons. The rise in production is ascribed to favorable weather conditions during the flowering period, leading to increased fruit setting rates.

Egypt’s orange cultivation area is estimated at 168,000 hectares, of which 90% are considered harvestable, and both figures have remained largely consistent with last season. Oranges are Egypt’s primary citrus crop, accounting for about 70% of the total citrus cultivation area. The country boasts several orange varieties, with Baladi, Valencia, navel and Sukkari the four main ones. Among these, Valencia and navel oranges are the primary varieties exported, while the other two are mainly consumed domestically.

The start of the orange harvest is determined by the Egyptian Agriculture Export Council’s citrus committee on the basis of fruit ripening and coloration. The export season typically begins in mid-November and, through the utilization of cold storage facilities, extends until late July.

The export season usually starts with shipments to the Arabian Gulf region, followed by exports to Russia, the European Union and East Asia. In the 2022/23 season, Egyptian oranges were exported to 126 countries, an increase from the 104 countries served in the 2021/22 season. The top 10 export markets for Egyptian oranges are the Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Bangladesh, Syria, China and the United Kingdom, and the export volume to these countries totaled almost 1.2 million metric tons in the 2022/23 season, representing a 22.8% year-on-year increase. This growth is primarily attributable to a significant surge in exports to Spain, a key competitor for Egyptian oranges on the European Union market.

In the first seven months of 2023, Egypt exported 29,294 metric tons of oranges to China. Egyptian oranges gained access to the Chinese market in 2015, with exports reaching their peak during the 2018/19 season, followed by a gradual decline. South Africa and Egypt stand as the two largest orange suppliers to China, although their export seasons differ.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.