Since March 2023, Morocco, confronted with a difficult drought season, has banned onion exports to West Africa. A blessing for Egyptian exporters, who have gained ground and filled the gap in this market.
Mohamed Anwar, CEO of Mudga, says, "We have seen a remarkable increase in demand for red onions from West African countries over the last two seasons. Our exports have increased by 200% to countries such as Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Gabon, and other countries in the region."
The exporter adds, "This is due to the ban on onion exports by Morocco, but also to the slow supply from Europe. We're lucky in our turn, since the Egyptian ban on onion exports ended at the beginning of April."
While the international onion market is punctuated by export bans in several parts of the world and a general drop in production, Egyptian onions are being exported just about everywhere. Anwar says, "Our traditional major markets maintain solid demand. This is the case in Europe, particularly the Netherlands and England, and in the Gulf countries. Alongside these markets, we see great potential this season in North America and Africa."
However, trade with East Asia is severely affected by the Red Sea crisis, and consequent high freight costs are slowing down onion exports, according to Anwar.
This season, according to industry sources, the Egyptian harvest of onions - all varieties combined - is abundant, at around 1.8 million tonnes. One-third is destined for export. This has led to lower prices, despite strong demand, concludes Anwar.
For more information:
Mohamed Anwar
Mudga
Tel: +20 106 469 2010
Email: info@mudga.com
www.mudga.com